


Life's Turning

by KarrieBW



Category: Death Note & Related Fandoms, Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - L Is Alive, Alternative Universe - Light Is Alive, But There's Mainly Angst, F/M, Flashbacks, M/M, Past! L/Near, Some attempts at humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:34:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 37,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23883085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KarrieBW/pseuds/KarrieBW
Summary: The Shinigami King is seeking some entertainment, so he gives L and Light a second chance. A second chance to make the shinigami laugh, since they seemed so interesting and promising the first time around.L wants to convict Light for everything he did and be done with it, but he's in for a big surprise. Two very familiar faces to the both of them have found solace...in each other?
Relationships: L & Near | Nate River, L & Original Character, L & Yagami Light, L/Near | Nate River, Near | Nate River/Yagami Sayu
Comments: 88
Kudos: 25





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I had decided on not writing this, but my mind kept insisting, so here's the first chapter. It will probably be short, around five or six chapters.
> 
> Originally only L was going to be resurrected, but then I realised I don't write enough about Light, considering he's my favourite character.

And they both landed on their bottoms on the cold, hard ground of the cemetery. Certainly not the most graceful way to come back to life. Both men grunted, as they tried to crawl as far away from each other as possible.

The cackling shinigami behind them landed deftly on a grave and crouched atop of it. His wings folded behind his bony back and disappeared.

“Ryuk, care to explain why we’re here?” Light Yagami – Kira – demanded to know as soon as he got up. He hadn’t changed a bit ever since dying. His aura still screamed ‘you should be bowing down to me’.

“I thought you’d have it all figured it out by now, Light-o”.

L got to his feet and stared at the nightmarish creature across them. It seemed to be overly amused with the situation.

“Well, I haven’t. So tell me”. Apparently, Light still thought he could order a God of Death around.

“The old man decided you two were too fun to keep in Mu. And it’s not like shinigami have anything to do, so he said he wanted to keep an eye on you. It’s the first time he’s ever liked someone. You should be honoured”.

“You mean he resurrected us just because he wanted to get a laugh out of us?” The murderer exclaimed, looking offended.

“I am most definitely not complaining about being resurrected”. L commented.

“Don’t you understand we’re here because they treat us like toys? They brought us back to life to laugh at us, just because they can! To them it’s like we’re the stars of some damn reality show!”

“While being the main cause for someone’s amusement does not make me happy, it does have some positive aspects. I have things I would very much like to get back to”. L said, first bringing his cases to his mind, and then a certain ivory-haired boy.

“What are we even supposed to do? Everyone thinks we’re dead!”

“You guys will just return to your lives, I guess. That’s what the old man wants you to do”. Ryuk answered.

“I assume you won’t be dropping another Death Note, will you, Shinigami-san?” L asked what he knew Light must be dying to ask.

The monster considered it a little before replying. “…Dunno about that, Death Notes aren’t that easy to steal, but if I do, you two will be the first to know”. He took a look around the graveyard and spread his skeletal black wings again. “Well, that’s all for now, I think. But don’t worry, I’ll be watching you”.

“Ryuk, wait!” Light yelled behind the flying shinigami.

“See ya!” The creature flew carelessly across the horizon.

Well, L had gotten everything he wanted out of Ryuk… Light on the other hand didn’t seem so happy. He rubbed his temple furiously and observed himself. He was still wearing the suit he wore the day he died. It was bloody, and tattered on the spots the bullets had hit him, although his skin seemed to be completely healed underneath.

L himself and his attire didn’t look any different than usual, probably because he had a much cleaner death.

“My nail is broken”. Light stated in an irritated tone, examining his hands.

The skinnier man made a grueling effort to not roll his eyes. “Oh, no, Kira-kun, such a disaster that is…!” He mocked in a monotone.

“Don’t call me that!”

L knew Light didn’t like to be called ‘Kira’ because it was like he was reminded of his defeat. But L called him that anyway.

The ex-greatest detective turned his head and looked around the area. They appeared to be in a graveyard in Shibuya. L came to that conclusion from the nearby buildings. They were buildings he had seen before. And if he had to guess, by the position of the sun, he’d say the time was about six in the evening.

“I don’t suppose you have any ideas as to how we’ll be able to find a phone, do you, Kira-kun?”

“I’ll tell you once you stop calling me Kira”. Light responded as he dusted himself off.

L was in no mood for a fight. He just wanted to make a call to Wammy’s House and part ways with his killer once and for all. “Do enlighten me, Light-kun”. By this point the ‘kun’ honorific was sarcastic, more than anything else, but L still liked to use it.

“For starters, do you hanve any money with you?”

The raven-haired man searched both his side and back pockets of his jeans but sadly found nothing. “I’m afraid I don’t”. He was inside the Headquarters the day he had died. He never found any reason to have money on him if he was indoors.

“Oh, great…” Light searched every pocket on his clothes too. Fortunately, he found some yen bills. “These are not enough for two subway tickets, but they should be just enough for two bus tickets, even if the bus is much slower”.

“Are we going to your house?” L guessed.

“That’s what I’ve been thinking. That way we’ll satisfy both of our needs. You’ll find a phone and I’ll finally get a nice, long bath. These clothes stink”. He complained and took off his suit jacket.

He didn’t expect Light to voluntarily invite him to his house, but he didn’t push the matter. It was one of the fastest ways to find a surely functional phone.

They walked until they found a bus station and sat on the bench, waiting for their currently only hope for transport. Light put one of his legs atop of the other and he held his suit jacket close to his chest, hoping to hide the bloody shirt underneath. L crouched on the bench in his frog-like pose. Walking in Japan without shoes had been a serious mistake…

“What are you going to do now?” Light suddenly asked him.

“I am going to wait until the bus arrives”.

The auburn-haired man sighed in an exasperated way. “And I wondered why I killed you…The way you always took things so literally irritated me to no end…I meant what you are going to do with your life”.

“Light-kun should be more precise then”. L said, biting his thumb. The majority of times he answered a question in the literal sense it was to frustrate his suspect, rather than him misunderstanding it. Just like now.

“Whatever. The question remains”.

“…I suppose I’ll contact Near to inform him of my presence and then I’ll start working on my cases again”.

“Sounds like a plan”.

There was silence for a few moments.

“…Are you going to start killing again?”

Light wasn’t taken aback by the question. He was probably expecting it. “You know I can’t kill without a Death Note”.

“Should the shinigami drop another Death Note, would you take on the role of Kira again?”

“Now, if I told you that would spoil all the fun, wouldn’t it?”

The bus arrived, coming at a stop in front of them.

Of course…L wondered why he even asked…The possibility of receiving an honest or straightforward answer was less than 2.5%. Unfortunately, they had spent enough time in Mu together for Light to quit his insufferable ‘I’m not Kira’ cutesy-façade.

It was unavoidable for the strange pair not to attract many curious gazes on them upon entering the large vehicle. They sat on opposite ends of the bus and waited silently until they reached the Kanto region of Tokyo.

None of them seemed to want to initiate any further conversation, so L was left alone with his thoughts.

He’d probably have to contact Near indirectly. Through the House most likely. Things would get much too awkward if he contacted him directly. Explaining to your successor that you are his believed-to-be-dead mentor who is no longer dead was not exactly the easiest task in the world. And L hated making lengthy explanations over the phone. Not to mention Near could interpret it as a prank call…Well, L wouldn’t blame him if he did. How could anyone take into account the antics of the shinigami?

Speaking of Near, the last time L saw him was almost six years ago. He had left him a child – barely a teenager – and now he would be an adult. It was one of the few things in his life L had trouble conceiving. It was almost impossible to even consider that Near – _his_ Near, his little one – was now legally considered an adult who could request to be brought alcohol at a bar and even get married to another individual. He could vote, if he wished to do so.

It just… it surpassed L. He had missed out some of the most important years in Near’s life. It seemed surreal. He could still perfectly envision Near asking for comfort after a nightmare, or Near climbing on his lap and demanding a kiss on the mouth. Would Near no longer need his comfort or his kisses anymore? Had he outgrown those actions?

That possibility…didn’t sound convenient at all… If anything, it sounded…terrible.

L momentarily wondered if Near had stopped playing with his toys too. But he quickly ruled that possibility out of his mind. Toys were a means of concentration and development of his thought process to Near. Even if he had ‘outgrown’ L, there was no way he could abandon his frequency of playing with toys.

That gave him little assurance of the matter… But enough with Near. There were also other matters at hand. Like Light Yagami’s conviction. Because L would fight for him to be convicted. He couldn’t let the greatest mass-murderer to ever set foot on earth slip away from his fingers like water. It wasn’t just about the innocents who happened to get in his way that he had killed. This matter was mostly personal, for a number of reasons.

They arrived at their stop and got off the bus without speaking a word to one another. They walked in silence for a few yards, before they both spotted Light’s house in the distance.

Thankfully, this neighborhood wasn’t all that busy, so Light didn’t have to try so hard to hide his shirt anymore. The possibilities of them being stopped (or at worst, arrested) had decreased.

All the while, L was forced to remember the hard way how inconvenient it was to get about outdoors without shoes. He really wished he had worn shoes at the day of his death…

The detective and the (ex-) killer ascended the few steps at the front of the house and Light rang the bell, his finger standing still for some seconds before pressing the button. Was he…hesitant? It was natural for a human being to be ashamed or even afraid to face his remaining family and look them in the eyes after all the terrible deeds they had committed…But the question lied elsewhere…Could Light Yagami qualify as a human being anymore?

Rushed footsteps sounded from the inside of the house and the door quickly opened. A woman in her late forties – perhaps early fifties – appeared. She had short brown hair with eyes of that same warm colour and wore plain jeans and a purple shirt. That should be Sachiko Yagami. L had never met her face to face, as he hadn’t met most of the people he knew.

She looked at them questioningly for a moment, but her eyes instantly widened when she took in Light’s appearance better.

“…Hi Mom”. He greeted, wearing a smile that was obviously forced. Well, to L it was obvious anyways.

“…Light? Light! Oh, my goodness, Light!” The woman crossed the distance between her and her son with open arms, and cried tears of joy as she latched onto the greatest mass-murderer on earth like a lifeline.

“I missed you too, Mom…” Light hugged her back, pulling on a sad expression. Tears looked ready to burst out of his eyes too, but he wouldn’t let them. What do you know, murderers can feel sadness and remorse as well.

“What happened to you?” Sachiko Yagami asked, pulling back from their touching embrace. “We were told you were dead! That Kira killed you!”

“There’s…really a lot of explaining to do, Mom. I promise to tell you everything. We were kidnapped. Me and Ryuuzaki, that is”. Light glanced to L’s direction, and so did his mother.

“Yes, indeed we were, Yagami-san…” L said, turning his expression to a slightly sorrowful one. He was sure Light planned a detailed excuse for them on the bus. So much wasted potential…That boy should have pursued an acting career… “It was…dreadful…” He looked at his bare feet for a second or two, to indicate that he didn’t want to dive deeper into the matter. “I really hate to hinder a family reunion but…may I come inside? It’ll only be for a few minutes, at most. I need to make a phone call…-”

“But of course, Ryuuzaki-san, you shouldn’t even have asked! I can’t possibly leave you by yourself in this condition! Both of you, come on in”.

Sachiko Yagami stepped into the house and held the door open for them to come in. Light walked in first and L followed him. She first asked them if they were injured and both answered negatively.

“Please make yourselves comfortable in the living room. Light will show you the way, Ryuuzaki-san. I’ll bring you the phone in just one moment. Oh, there’s also Sayu and her boyfriend in there, but please don’t mind them. Sayu is Light’s sister and her boyfriend is really discreet”.

“Sayu found a boyfriend?” Light asked disbelievingly, but in a happy way.

L, not being a part of the family disregarded that information as useless.

“Yes! And I think he’s going to be more than just that! Trust me, you’ll like him! He’s a tad strange, but he’s very quiet and polite!”

“What’s his name?”

“Nathan. He’s from England”.

After the premature introductions, Sachiko left them to make their way to the living room.

The last time L had seen Sayu Yagami she was about fourteen years old, and it had been through a camera. The image he had formed in his mind was vastly different from the one he was facing now. That loud, energetic girl had matured into an adult young woman. Her hair was slightly longer and her eyes held that inviting chocolate-brown of her mother’s eyes in them. Sachiko Yagami must have looked like her daughter when she had been younger.

When L’s eyes spotted the one who sat by Sayu Yagami’s side – her boyfriend – he froze and ceased every movement except for breathing. He felt cold blood coursing through his veins. Light stopped next to him, in a similar position. His suit jacket fell off his hands.

“Are you seeing what I am seeing?” L asked, suddenly feeling like his head was very light for the rest of his body.

“…I don’t know. What are the chances of us having the exact same hallucination?”

They were still sitting paralyzed at the entrance of the living room when the…couple became aware of their presence.

The next minutes were a tangled mess of utter confusion. The four people in the room stared at each other in pure surprise and disbelief. 

“…Light?” Sayu asked.

“…Sayu?” Light asked.

“…L?” Near asked.

“…Near?” It only barely managed to not come out as a stutter.

Well, on a more positive note, that phone call might not be necessary after all…


	2. Chapter 2

Sayu Yagami spared them all the awkwardness of the situation by hopping on her feet and launching herself in her brother’s arms. “Light! You’re…you’re really here!”

L wasn’t very interested in the reunion of the two siblings. Near’s presence in the Yagami household was a far more fascinating subject.

All in all, his appearance wasn’t terribly altered by the effects of puberty, as it mostly happens with boys of his age. His face had sharpened a little, although it definitely wasn’t the face of the average young adult. Near’s eyes remained noticeably unchanged; they looked as beautifully vague and intelligent as they had the first day L had met him. His limbs and features hadn’t become particularly angular – there was still a certain softness to them – probably enhanced by the white, baggy clothes he was still wearing. Upon eyeing him better, it came to L’s attention that Near had exchanged his pajama pants for a pair of white jeans. (He didn’t recall Near ever wearing jeans…So why wear them now?…Did he want to look ‘presentable’ enough to enter this house?)

His successor got up, looking at him in a mixture of suspicion and wariness. L deducted with a quick calculation that he couldn’t be much taller than five feet. Still rather short for his age, as he’s always been and most likely will always be. The chances of him growing any taller now are rather slim. “How are you here?” One of his hands came to rest at a lock of silver hair.

L didn’t exactly know what he was expecting, but it surely wasn’t this. It wasn’t how he had imagined their meeting. For one, he would much rather they were alone when Near saw him again. But seeing as, currently, this wasn’t possible, L would have to work with what he was given.

“I think your presence here is much more intriguing”.

Near tilted his head to the left, appearing as though he wanted to touch L, to ascertain that he is not a hallucination or a ghost, but he didn’t act on such a motive, if it even existed in the first place. “I beg to differ”.

“So you are Sayu’s renowned boyfriend then”.

“To be exact, I visited to announce to Yagami-san Sayu is going to be my fiancée”.

There was that strange feeling in his head again…Like it was completely filled with water and could be cut off from the rest of his body any minute now. L shook his head discreetly to get rid of the sensation. The attempt was fruitless. It was like he was intoxicated. Or like he was having a nightmare. “…Fiancée…” He repeated quietly in disbelief.

In the meantime, Light and Sayu had broken off their ‘family hug’. “Near, I’d like you to meet…” Sayu began, but stopped when she saw her mother approaching them. “Mom, Light is back! Can you believe he’s here?”

Sachiko Yagami chose just the right time to enter the living-room, holding a wireless telephone. “I know honey! Isn’t it a miracle?" Then she turned to L. “I hope I’m not late! I was preparing some snacks…Here’s the phone, Ryuuzaki-san”. 

“Thank you very much Yagami-san, but I won’t be needing it anymore. I have found the person I wanted to call here, in your house”. He was gradually recovering from his shock. It could have been a joke… He wasn’t fond of the idea he was starting to hallucinate.

“Oh…Do you and Nathan-kun know each other, Ryuuzaki-san?”

“No”.

“Yes”.

The males in question answered simultaneously. Thankfully, Near’s voice had always been so naturally quiet, L’s voice managed to carry over it. The only one who might have noticed the out-of-place-negative answer was Light. 

“Yes, we do”. L repeated. “Actually, I am his guardian”. Near coughed dryly in a fake manner. He hasn’t done that before… They communicated well enough for it to not be necessary. “Yes, excuse me, my bad. I was his guardian. Nathan is well over eighteen now”.

“Wait, so you’re his dad?” The most likely self-proclaimed fiancé asked.

“Not exactly. It’s more complicated than that”.

“That’s strange”. Light said. He hadn’t spoken in quite a while. Such a happy while that had been… “I could swear you two are related, Ryuuzaki”.

“Yes, we get that a lot”.

“Sayu, Light, don’t make them feel uncomfortable!” Their mother chastised them. “We’re sorry. Ryuuzaki-san, Nathan-kun, please sit. Would you like to stay with us for dinner, Ryuuzaki-san? ”.

Since Near was already here before them, that meant he and…Sayu (that name was bitter, if it was possible for a name to have a taste) were invited over for dinner. And Near planned to announce the ‘cheerful’ news during or after dinner. L had to prevent that. He couldn’t let his successor utter such nonsense.

“I would love that, Yagami-san, but I think I am a little overwhelmed today, with everything that’s happened. Thank you very much for the offer”.

“Of course, I understand”.

“Perhaps another time, right, Ryuuzaki?” Light said. It sounded as uninviting as an invitation could sound.

“Yes, definitely. In any case, it will be unavoidable. From what I’ve gathered, we’ll be seeing each other a lot”. Sayu’s lips (that name tasted more bitter than a bitter coffee without sugar whatsoever) turned upside down in an obvious pout at the idea of them leaving. At the idea of Near leaving, to be more precise. Because L would be taking Near with him.

“Is there anything I could do for you?” Sachiko asked. “You and Light have been through so much…”

“You have already done more than enough, Yagami-san. It’s thanks to you that I found Nathan and I am most grateful for that. Nathan is like a son to me”. He added a small smile at the end.

That felt horribly untrue, even for the standards of L’s conscience. Still, he needed Sachiko Yagami’s sympathy, in case he wanted to influence her later against Near and… her daughter’s relationship.

“Oh, but I didn’t really do anything…I wish I could do more. You didn’t deserve what happened to you”.

“I’m terribly sorry to cut this off so short, but I’ll have to take my leave as well”. Near spoke.

Everything goes according to plan thus far…Now it’s time to back off a little. “You can stay if you want to…I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to find my way home”.

“No, I’ll come with you. I can’t leave you alone in this condition”. Of course, Near would realise L had no idea where he currently resided. “My apologies again for leaving so suddenly”. He turned to the three remaining members of the Yagami family.

“Nonsense! Ryuuzaki-san needs to rest. Go take care of him”. Sachiko said.

“I’m very pleased I met you two today”. L interfered, shaking both Sachiko’s and… Sayu’s hand. “I hope we’ll be seeing more of each other. I would love to meet the one who rendered Nathan incapable of all thought, Sayu-chan”. Unbeknownst to her, that girl had witnessed the miracle of hearing L’s honest thoughts. The second part of the last sentence was completely honest at least. “Would it be alright for me to call you Sayu-chan?”

“I always wanted to meet Nathan’s family! And, yeah, I guess you can call me Sayu-chan. San just sounds too formal coming from you”.

L walked towards the exit and waited for Near who apparently would die if he didn’t talk to his make-believe girlfriend before leaving. He couldn’t make out what they were saying from this distance so he just stared. Sayu was slightly taller than Near so she leaned close to his ear to whisper something (as if L could hear them when they didn’t whisper) and then…kissed him.

On the cheek. But it was a kiss nonetheless.

Well, they (supposedly) were in a relationship. And a relationship entails kisses.

L was aware of that. And yet seeing Near receiving a kiss from another person felt so bizarrely intolerable. Like L was not doing something he should be doing to prevent this. L’s toes curled inward, clutching the carpet underneath them.

Finally, Near was finished chit-chatting and approached the exit, putting on the shoes he had probably taken off to enter the house. They got out and the other three wished them good night as they walked through the yard of the house, with Light being, of course, the least sad for them leaving.

They walked silently side by side for some minutes, before Near chose to speak. He switched from speaking Japanese to English. “I’ll call Gevanni to pick us up”. L raised an eyebrow at the mention of the name. “One of my employees”.

He always thought Near would end up having more than just one Watari helping him around. He needed more than one people to tend to him.

…Near can’t even take care of himself…! How is it possible for him to be in a relationship – a supposedly serious one at that – with another person?

“I see”.

“I’ll introduce you to all of them once we arrive there”. Near sat on a wooden bench, folding one knee in front of his body, and took his cellphone out of the pocket of his white jeans.

L sat next to him in a similar fashion, only he brought both his knees in front of him. He waited in patient silence until Near’s phone call was over. Then his successor closed the phone, putting it back in his pocket again, and a second silence washed over them.

Well, that was awkward…It was the first time L felt like that while being in Near’s presence. It was an understatement to say he didn’t like it at all.

And yet, there were so many subjects they could discuss, but apparently none of them knew how to approach the situation.

Unexpectedly, it was Near who began first. “How are you alive?”

L put his thumb in his mouth and stared off to the distance. It had gone dark. The streets weren’t very busy and the night was quiet. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you”.

“I have encountered a God of Death. I doubt the story of you bring reborn would surprise me more. If you were truly dead, that is”.

…Near believed he sent a false notification to Wammy’s House about being dead? But why? This made no sense…Why would L do that?

“I was as dead as any person can be. Until this evening”. His listener waited for the real part of the explanation, all while twirling his pale hair. “There exists a king of those creatures called Gods of Death. This King apparently decided that me and Light Yagami returning to the world of the living would be a very amusing scenario. Hence, here we are. Or so we were told by one of his subjects”.

“Was that subject, by any chance, named Ryuk?”

“I assume that’s the God of Death you met?”

“Yes. The one following the original Kira”.

“Ryuk is quite the subject, isn’t he?”

“Indeed. He was the one who killed Light Yagami”. A small pause. “Was that all?”

L momentarily glanced at Near. “Yes”.

“Why did this King of the Gods of Death resurrect you?”

“Gods of Death are very miserable existences, Near, as you must have realised. They absorb glee from the disturbance of human lives. They are all probably very curious as to how the people connected to us would react at our return. Namely, you, Sachiko Yagami and…” It couldn’t slip past the tip of his tongue. There was bitterness coating his mouth even at the thought of pronouncing that name. “…her daughter”.

“And how exactly did you come into being for a second time?”

“I was merely sitting in a corner of a place Gods of Death call ‘Mu’, partially trying to irritate Light, when we both heard an overly deep voice calling our names and saying we would be returning to the mortal world. Then the floor we had been standing onto ceased to exist and we fell down to Earth. That’s about it”.

Near examined him with his dark eyes for a moment. Was it possible…he was checking for injuries from the fall…? No, such a stupid concept that was…Near has Kira’s sister to watch over now. She might trip and hit her head out of the extreme weight of her sheer stupidity… “And where did you…land?”

“On a cemetery in Shibuya. We got up, took a bus, walked to the Yagami house and rang the bell”.

“It seems that there really is an afterlife…” The boy mused aloud. “But judging by its name, it mustn’t have been pleasant, correct?”

It was anything but pleasant. For the first five years of his death, L, like every other dead person, was forced to wander endlessly in circles in a dark, barren land surrounded with grey-black mist. And the worst of all: there was absolutely nothing to do. Case-solving was not an option in Mu. Dormancy was hell itself for L. The first few weeks he was sure he would end up insane, as the paranoia of idleness would take over him.

Some of the few criminals he had happened to meet face to face in the past after having caught them, somehow managed to find him and cursed him, to blow off their steam once again for being outsmarted. They couldn’t really do anything worse to him anymore; he was already dead. Unfortunately, he never found Watari. Fortunately, he never found Backup.

As much as L hated to admit it, the situation was a little more bearable after Light’s death. His obvious death meant his defeat, so L finally found something to do. He repeatedly tormented Light for his failure, teased him and made the murderer explicitly recite to him how he was beaten. After such discussions, L would leave him alone for a while as a reward. 

There were some pleasant times he could remember while mentally torturing Light, but those were infinitesimal when compared to the utter boredom and loneliness he had faced during his staying in Mu. No, it definitely was not a pleasant place. It was so very far from the ideal way the majority of human kind picture the afterlife.

L looked at him from the corner of his right eye. “I do not wish to delve deeper into that matter”.

“I apologize”. Even for Near, that monotone was considered cold.

“There’s nothing else to say about me, really. I believe it’s your turn now. So, Near, what have you been occupying yourself with during the six years of my absence?” They established eye-contact for the first time since they exited the Yagami house.

It was then that a horrible thought struck L, like a lightning.

What if…Sayu was not the only one?

What if…Near happened to have more…suitors while L was absent?

That scenario sounded even more terrifying than that of _her_ being Near’s fiancé…

Surely, he couldn’t have…But L had been dead, so technically, Near was free to start anew… On the other hand, it was only six years. Six years is not a long period of time…Penelope waited twenty years for Odysseus, without even once falling under the spell of one of her suitors, all while her husband was believed to be dead. Didn’t Near at least mourn him a little…?

A hunch told L he wouldn’t have gotten an answer anyway, but a black car approaching them took the chance of Near answering away from him. “That would be Gevanni”. He said instead, breaking their eye-lock.

(What kind of alias even is Gevanni…? It sounds more like a name for an Italian Mafioso than an agent.)

Near held the car door open for him and L climbed in. Funny how the roles were reversed… He remembered a time when he would help Near get into the passenger’s seat and fasten up his seat belt for him.

Gevanni was an obviously tall, dark-haired man with muscular build and pale-blue eyes. He was wearing a black suit with a perfectly-tied black tie. He was exactly like the image L had conjured up in his mind. “Hello, Near. Oh…Who’s this?”

“I’ll explain the details to all of you once we get back to the Headquarters. For the time being, Gevanni, please drive”.

“Got it”.

During the whole time of their short journey, L noticed Near’s employee stealing brief glimpses of him from the rear mirror every minute or so. He probably found his appearance bizarre, or eccentric. Either way, it was worth asking. If he was a member of Near’s team L should at least monitor him enough to form a profile for him. “Is there any particular reason of you staring at me?”

“Sorry”. His eyes returned to the mirror again. “It’s just that you remind me of someone”.

“I doubt I had the pleasure of us acquainting”.

“It’s highly unlikely that you have met him before, Gevanni”. Near said. “Now, please focus on the road ahead”.

Blue eyes were instantly averted from L’s reflection on the mirror. “Yes Near”.

The order was followed instantly, without second thought. Not bad… It seemed this one obeyed Near just fine. Not that L expected him to excess any less authority…

On second thought, meeting with Near’s team might actually be pleasant. He was curious to see what kinds of people constituted his daily environment.

Gevanni drove for approximately seven more minutes before they arrived in front of an impressive skyscraper. It was not as big as the one L had bought to place the Kira Task Force in, but it was impressive nonetheless. He and Near got out, and waited while Gevanni was parking the car. They all met in the elevator shortly thereafter and Near pressed the button to the eleventh floor.

The silence in the elevator was deafening. A small needle could have fallen on the floor and they would have all heard it perfectly.

L missed his sweets. He missed having something to chew on, if only to make some noise.

The double door opened and they found themselves in what presumably was the Investigation Room. The lights were off, but the place was illuminated by the large number of monitors on the walls, and from the bright computer screens on standby. Various toys were scattered about on the floor; dominos, robots, dinosaurs. L’s lips curved slightly upwards when he caught sight of a robot he had brought to Near as a gift. (But it was only one…) A blonde man and a woman with a similar hair-colour got up from their desks once they saw them entering.

“Welcome back, Near”. The man said.

“I thought you’d stay a bit longer. Weren’t you invited for dinner?” The woman asked rather nosily, in L’s opinion. Did she know about this whole fiasco with the youngest member of the Yagami family as well?

“There have been some complications”. Near said and shuffled over to a chair, practically throwing off his shoes. His hand never stopped playing with his hair.

…’Complications’…? It was not exactly the way L would have preferred he phrased it. Far from it, actually.

Gevanni approached the other two and stood next to them. That left L a little unsure as to where he should be standing. He finally decided to walk closer to the chair where Near was sitting – but not too close – all while being careful not to knock over the dominos lined up on the floor.

“Everyone, this is L. Yes, the original. L, this is Lidner and Commander Rester”. Near introduced them in the simplest way possible, while gesturing to each member of the rest of his team. “And you have just met Gevanni”. Perhaps it was a misinterpretation on L’s part, but Near’s introductions seemed forced. Almost like it was a chore for him.

The three employees stared intensely at him from head to toe. It was obvious that they couldn’t believe that the man before them was the World’s Greatest Detective. It was like meeting the Task Force all over again…

The one Near called ‘Commander Rester’ was the first one to speak. “Honoured to meet you”. He extended his hand for a handshake.

L looked at it tentatively. If he shook Rester’s hand, that meant he would have to shake the hands of the other two as well. He wasn’t sure he wanted to shake Gevanni’s hand. His first impression of him wasn’t exactly in the man’s favour. Somehow, he seemed the most impulsive out of the team. That could be proven a difficult trait in the future. In the end, L’s hands remained stuffed in his pockets.

Rester retracted his hand awkwardly. He wasn’t really honoured to meet him anyway. If he met L on a deeper level he’d probably take his words back in the blink of an eye.

“Is this really L?” Gevanni asked. Of course he would…

“My thoughts exactly”. ‘Lidner’ added. “Isn’t L supposed to be dead?”

“That’s a correct observation, Lidner”. Near began stacking dice on the desk with his other hand. “However, due to the tediousness that predominates the life of the Gods of Death, both L and Light Yagami were resurrected”.

“What?” They all sang together.

“Kira is alive?”Gevanni thought out loud needlessly.

“There isn’t currently a Death Note in the human world”. L said. “So he doesn’t pose a threat at the moment”.

“Still, shouldn’t he be convicted?” It was Lidner who voiced L’s goal. Although she didn’t direct it at him, but at Near.

“…We’ll see to it. This is no matter to be discussed now”. The stacked dice surprisingly didn’t seem to represent anything. Near’s structures usually had a national landmark in mind. “Rester, please get Roger in here”.

‘We’ll see to it’? That sentence didn’t sound good at all. Didn’t Near want to convict Kira for his crimes? And for killing L?

Except if… But no, Near couldn’t possibly be that biased…

“Of course, Near”.

The ‘commander’ (it was still unknown to L if he actually used to be a part of the military) left the room quickly.

“You kept Roger?” L couldn’t avoid asking.

“He is the new Watari”. Near didn’t look at him.

Yes, Roger was supposed to become Watari in case the original Watari died, but L had thought Gevanni would have taken that role, since he was the one who drove them here. Besides, a team of total four people was a little big, even for Near.

“Yes, Near?” Roger asked in his gruffly, tired voice upon coming into the room. He had opted for a black suit instead of his usual maroon-coloured ones. As he and Rester neared them, Roger’s eyes widened comically. “…E-E…” He swallowed. “…L?...”

“Long time no see, Roger”.

He stumbled next to Near’s chair with difficulty. “Near, i-is…is this really…”

“Yes”. His successor replied coolly. “In flesh and bone”.

(How would Near know? He hadn’t even touched him…)

The elderly man turned to him again. “May I…touch you? To see if…-”

“No, Roger. But you may bring me sweets”.

Roger’s expression turned from scared and uncertain to cloudy in an instant at his answer. “Alright, you’re alive. But… but how?”

“All will be explained to you in due time. Don’t worry about that”. Near assured him.

“Then…what about Quillsh? Is he alive?” Roger continued asking.

L’s gaze fell to the floor just for a moment. “I’m afraid no”.

“Oh…” The disappointment was evident in his voice. “So how are you…-”

“You’ll be informed of everything soon, Roger”. Near cut him off. “Now, please lead L to the floor above mine. He must be tired”.

“He’ll be staying with you?” Gevanni snapped. Yes, L was definitely beginning to like him less and less… It’s not like he needed permission to stay with Near anyway.

“At least for tonight, yes. Although I can’t say I see how that concerns you. You are dismissed for the day”. One by one, Rester, Lidner and Gevanni walked to their desks to recollect their belongings. Near then got up and stood in front of L. “I’ll have Roger buy some clothes for you. Multiple pairs of the same attire?”

“Yes. Thank you”.

“I’m afraid there are no sweets whatsoever in the Headquarters as of now, but Roger should have taken care of that first thing in the morning. You could give him a list, if that’s more convenient for you. Perhaps you could break your diet for tonight and eat some fruits instead”.

“I appreciate it, but I don’t think I’ll be having dinner tonight. It has gone somewhat late”.

Near shrugged with indifference. “As you please. Rest for tonight and tomorrow we can discuss what will become of the title”.

It was the first time in his life that L felt like he couldn’t keep up with the events unfolding around him. Everything seemed to be moving too fast for his liking. He couldn’t pay equal attention to every happening.

The title was among the last things that occupied his mind and it shouldn’t be like this. It was actually a matter of critical importance. But instead, he chose to concentrate on trivial subjects such as _her_ overly unnecessary appearance in Near’s life. And she was the one responsible for it. Both for L’s lack of focus and for Near’s cold demeanor.

“Of course”. Was the only thing he decided to say and then followed Roger to the elevator, leaving Near alone in the room.

Roger was silent and for once since he returned from Mu L was thankful for that. He didn’t want to have to explain everything again. Besides, he couldn’t risk having Roger pass out because he wasn’t informed about the existence of the Gods of Death. Once they reached his floor the current Watari offered to give him a tour of his new residence but L declined in the most polite way he could. He never had trouble navigating. Roger left him on his own after wishing him good night.

Normally, he should have a shower. His death might not have been messy or dirty, but still, the muddy ground of the cemetery where he had landed on was definitely not the cleanest surface. But all that mental exhaustion had somehow manifested on his body with a physical form.

It was a matter of moments for him to find the bedroom. He didn’t turn any lights on or even spared the rest of the room – with the exception of the bed – so much as a glance. L fully comprehended the notion of someone ‘collapsing’ on a bed that night.

~

_“In reality, girls are rather stupid”._

_“Are they now?”_

_“Yes._

_“Would you like to elaborate on this?”_

_It was a mid-April sunny Saturday. It was almost noon and most of the children had gone out in the yard to play. L found Near sitting by himself in the Playroom and joined him. He sat assuming a more accommodating position to the both of them for the occasion; spreading his legs apart and letting Near slide in between them to play with his toys._

_“From what I have experienced thus far, they seem the most emotional out of the two genders. They are naturally more emotionally aware and that might prove to be a weakness. That by default means that even if they possess some amount of intellect, they can never fully tap into it”._

_“Was Linda determined to draw you again?” L predicted. That whole female-discourse must be originating from somewhere…_

_“…Yes”._

_“There is a 73% chance that your opinion will change in a few years”. He inspected the variety of toys that surrounded them absent-mindedly. He was not exactly enthusiastic about the time that moment would come._

_“I doubt that”. The boy replied in a serious tone._

_“Why so?”_

_“Because…” Near’s inky eyes found his and he spoke his next words in a completely steady voice. “…You are approximately eight times better than a girl. Why would I be in need of a girl – any girl – when I have you?”_

_L stood stunned and wide-eyed for a moment. That sort of answer he hadn’t expected. Such a surprisingly warm and sweet feeling those words had created… Even if they couldn’t be taken completely into account, that didn’t prevent them from casting some reassurance over him._

_Near put his toys down and leaned up to give him a kiss, as if he were sealing his reasoning this way, making an untold promise._

_~_

Dreaming was a rare occurrence for L. Recalling memories during his brief naps was even rarer.

There was an alarm clock at the nightstand. It read 3:36 AM.

Now would probably be a good time to shower…

Such a tedious need sleep is…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, you caught me. I couldn't resist sneaking a dream sequence in...


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really make music suggestions in fanfics (mostly because I usually listen to completely irrelevant songs to what I'm reading) but I guess I'm making an exception today.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rmAte85XPU
> 
> You could try this if you don't have anything else to listen to. I think it fits with L's situation.

The morning came after what seemed just about a lifetime. After showering, he took a good look at the floor Near had offered him, but nothing was remarkable enough to keep him occupied for long. Thankfully, there was a library with a fairly large variety of books. But L had found no particular interest in any of them. And unfortunately, there was no computer or laptop in sight.

Trying to sleep again was not an option. Even if he did sleep, he didn’t want to be abruptly awakened by another reminder of his previous life. Of when things used to be normal. When there were no Sayu’s in the equation.

At about 8 o'clock Roger came to get him, holding three bags full of clothes. "Good morning. Did you sleep at all?"

“I did sleep a reasonable amount”. L replied.

Roger fixed his round glasses better on the bridge of his nose. “I’ll give you the benefit of doubt. I brought you new clothes. The exact same pair, just as you requested”.

“I noticed. Thank you, Roger”.

“It wasn’t a problem”. Although it probably was… Roger had never been so eager to help as Watari had been. “Near has called for you upstairs, so if you’re ready…”

“I think I’ll have a change of clothes, first. Could you tell Near I’ll be there in a few minutes?”

“Of course”.

L found Near on the floor, continuing the domino construction he had left incomplete yesterday. Once Near became aware of his entrance in the room he put one last domino into place and got up. “Good morning. Did you manage to sleep at all?”

What was with everyone asking him if he slept today?

(Although, that kind of question coming from Near wasn’t necessarily a negative development.)

“I did”. L answered simply. He was sure the ivory-haired boy wasn’t interested in listening more than that anyway.

“I’m glad”. His tone was drier than the sand on a desert field. “Now, I think another room would be more fit for this conversation. Follow me”. L did as he was told and Near led them to a yet again dimly-lit room with a long, glass table in the middle, and more screens adorning the cream-painted walls. “Have a seat”. He sat on the first armchair from the right, while Near sat at the head of the table. “I assume you haven’t had breakfast yet”.

“I haven’t”.

“Why don’t we eat breakfast together then?”

“That’s a practical idea”. He had originally wanted to say ‘nice’, but discarded it as too hopeful and desperate.

Near nodded and pressed a button on the intercom device on the table to contact Roger, instructing him to bring them breakfast. They didn't exchange another word for a while. Near revealed a pair of toy cars from the pocket of his pyjama shirt and began playing. L, seeing his lack of willingness for communication, rested his head atop of his knees and stared around the dark room, while wiggling his toes lethargically.

He could swear their first meeting had been far less awkward…

Roger finally arrived, carrying a silver tray, but in a significantly less skilful and upbeat fashion than Watari used to. This man was not made to be the helper of the World’s Greatest Detective…

The tray contained a chocolate cake, a small bowl of colourful jellybeans, a lemon pie, a plain toast and a green apple, along with a steaming teapot. L should probably choose either the chocolate cake or the lemon pie, and the last two contents were obviously meant for Near. Roger didn’t stay with them for long after serving them both a cup of tea and placing their respective plates in front of them. In fact, he left instantly. Near thanked him once, and then another wave of silence washed over them.

L gazed at the fork dully before finally deciding to pick it up.

The sudden urge to feed Near bloomed at the back of his brain, something he frequently used to do when he visited Wammy’s, but L quickly fought it back. Near was now an adult who was _perfectly_ capable of taking care of himself…

In the end, he chose the chocolate cake over the lemon pie. The whipping-cream decorated pastry tended to be slightly sour sometimes, and he didn’t need any more sourness so early in the morning. The boy next to him nibbled the toast only barely and ate half the apple. Their meal was overly silent.

Near was the first one to finish eating and waited quietly for L to finish too, while fidgeting with his toy cars.

The fork was purposefully put down on the plate with a loud clutter, if only for some kind of noise to be created.

“Now then…” Near began. “…What would you like to be done with the L title?”

Straightforward as usual… “I think this is something that concerns the both of us. You are the one currently managing L as a name. It wouldn’t be right if I decided by myself”. 

“You clearly have more saying in this than I do. All of this originally belonged to you”.

“I know. But I was hoping maybe we could reach some sort of negotiation”.

“Such as?”

“I was thinking that perhaps we could be L together. You could consider it a collaboration”.

Near twisted a tuft of silver hair in his pale fingers thoughtfully. “…Are you certain? That you don’t want to work on your own?”

“Yes. I don’t see why I should completely exclude you from the field when you seem to have handled things so successfully in my absence”. The temptation to cover that last sentence in half-irony was impossible. Yet, Near didn’t seem to detect the undertone. “And giving you another alias to work with after you having defeated Kira would be insulting, to say the least”. 

A slight frown was formed on Near’s features. “Mello had been of great help in the Kira Case as well”.

“I believe that. And I’m glad you two managed to cooperate in the end”. L took a sip from his tea, mainly to think more carefully about his next words. “In any case, we are not here to talk about Mello. I do believe we are going to make a functional team. Wouldn’t you agree, Near?”

“I suppose so. But it’d be better if we set a probationary period to this collaboration”.

An eleven-year-old Near would be willing to throw away half of his toys if it meant working on a case alongside his idol. This Near seemed evidently indifferent to that possibility. People in general change as one year succeeds another. L himself, on the other hand, remembered remaining static as a character for most of his life. Everything prior to the last two days had indicated that Near would live with the same stagnancy in his life too.

But these indications just had to be untrue, hadn’t they? Whatever is too good to be true usually isn’t. Or if it is, it doesn’t last.

“That’s reasonable”. Said L in the end. “Should the collaboration not work, we can cancel it and discuss about the title anew then”.

“I was thinking something along the same lines”.

“Good. Now that’s been arranged, I would like us to talk about Light Yagami’s forthcoming conviction, if you don’t mind”.

Similar pairs of obsidian eyes faced each other intensely for some seconds. Near tugged hard at the lock of hair he held captive between his fingers and seemed ready to reply, but an annoying and entirely bad-timed beeping noise coming from the intercom device relieved him from the burden of answering.

“I’m sorry, Near…” Came Roger’s slightly muffled voice from the monitor. “…But everyone is here. If you and L are ready…”

“We are finished talking, Roger. We’ll be at the Investigation Room shortly”. It seemed like the odds just weren’t in L’s favour after his rebirth… “I hope you don’t mind us continuing this sometime later. I thought you might be more interested in the developments of the latest case”.

If it hadn’t been obvious yesterday, it was almost painfully evident today that Near avoided the subject of Kira’s conviction at all costs. L had already formed a suspicion about Near’s insistence of evading it, but he refused to believe it at present. He needed more proof first. Because it was extremely hard to believe his successor had sunk that low.

“Certainly. This should be fascinating”.

It wasn’t though. At least, not as fascinating as it used to be, or as he fantasized it would have been.

By the time L intervened, Near and his team were at least half-way through the case. That took the most fun out of it. Besides, it wasn’t exactly easy to concentrate in the ambience that surrounded him. First of all, they were never left unsupervised. There would always be one of those three breathing down their necks. L wondered whether that was due to his presence, or they simply never left Near alone. Either one was quite possible. Even if it was just him and Near and one other person in the room, L felt distracted. These people were loud. Mentally speaking.

And of course, there was also the problem called ‘Sayu Yagami’ lurking in the back of his mind. (Because that’s what it was. L refused to accept to view it as anything else.) This one was possibly a worse distraction than that caused by Near’s underlings. And it needed to be taken care of the soonest possible.

Perhaps working on the case wasn’t so bad after all…

It was now time to review all the possible suspects and to rule out the least possible ones to have participated in a national distribution of drugs. It was a task which required him to sit down and discuss with Near, and that was positive. They crouched in their respective chairs next to each other behind a desk and began analyzing each suspect’s profile in depth.

This kind of conversation felt anything but awkward or forced. If anything, it was as if it came naturally to the both of them. This was both his and Near’s natural habitat. Not a plainly common life with a happy marriage and an unintelligent wife with kids.

“This one is out of the list too”. Near announced, holding the piece of paper delicately, just as L himself would have held it. “We have recently had information that he left the country”.

“If that’s the case…” L took the paper sheet and tossed it carelessly off the desk.

“Near, I’m sorry to interrupt…” Gevanni said once he practically barged into the room for what would be the fourth time in just a day. “But Sayu just called”.

The only technically adult’s eyes immediately turned to Gevanni. “Yes?”

“She’s asking if she can come over”.

“We are almost done reducing the suspects, so I don’t see why not. Tell her you’ll be there to pick her up in a few minutes”.

…Just what was going on here?

Had he entered some sort of parallel universe where it was completely acceptable to prioritise interpersonal relationships over detective work? L never remembered having neglected one of his cases in favour of spending time with Near. (But then again, perhaps that was where this problem originated from?) Near’s methods shouldn’t differentiate from those of L. 

"Mr Gevanni, please wait a moment". It was his first time addressing the man. 'Mister' felt too formal a title for him, but it would soon change. He needed to learn everyone’s real names and their qualifications.

The employee in question turned around. “…Uh…yes?”

L just realised, this was their first-ever conversation. Such a clever line of dialogue on Gevanni’s part that was… “I am in need of a crème brûlée“.

He stared at him incredulously and blinked once in confusion. “I’m sorry, what?”

“A crème brûlée”. L repeated calmly. He had been expecting this reaction. He was smiling widely inwardly, but on the outside, there were no traces of change to his neutral facial expression. And to think he didn’t even like crème brûlée… “It’s a confection which has its origins in France and is more or less…-”

“I know what it is”.

“Then where does the problem lie, precisely?”

“You actually want Gevanni to buy you sweets". Near's phrase was somewhere in the middle ground between statement and question. It leaned more towards the former side.

"I don't see why not. From the sounds of it, he'll be going out anyway”. L replied, taking care not to reveal any bitterness in his voice.

“I don’t remember you liking crème brûlée”.

“I do now”.

There was a mini staring contest between them. Near was the one who broke their eye contact first. “…Just for this once. Gevanni is not here to buy you sweets”.

(Well, L hadn’t seen him being particularly productive over the course of the day… He must consider himself honoured for having the chance to deliver L sweets…)

For a moment Near’s response seemed much too harsh to him, but he quickly shook that feeling off. L was only exaggerating a bit.

“Gevanni, please buy a… crème brûlée on your way here. It shouldn’t take too long”. Near continued.

The other man was obviously displeased, but said nothing. “Alright Near”.

L spun the wheeled chair around once in superficial glee. It was a start, a small victory. These people should learn who they would be working for from now on. 

“Seeing as, we won’t be having much time in our hands, could I please be given a file with the personal qualifications and certificates of each of your employees?” L asked once Gevanni had left the room. “You do keep them documented, don’t you?”

“I’ll have their files brought to your floor”. Near’s gaze fell back on the chaos of files and documents that conquered the desk.

“Thank you”. The older detective said and got up.

“Where are you going?”

“Perhaps this was too much work for me after so many years of languor. I think I’ll be retiring for the rest of the day”.

It was an excuse none of them believed, and they both knew it. But it didn’t matter. Near wasn’t going to inquire about it.

“We aren’t done lowering the suspect list yet”. It was hardly a protest in the resigned monotone it was spoken.

“I know”.

Not a second after those words were uttered he turned around and walked slowly towards the exit of the Investigation Room.

Let Near exclude the last suspects out of the list… It wasn’t that difficult. Besides, it was crystal clear where his priorities lay, and it was not the case. L will not stand to witness this paradox.

He has other plans.

With a quick investigation around the apartment, L made sure no one came in to leave the documents for Near's team. He didn't mind. That could wait for now.

Gevanni arrived not much later with an exasperated expression on his face and a small, pink box from a pastry shop in his hand. “Here is your crème brûlée…sir”.

L could recognise an enforced honorific title when he heard one. "Why thank you, Mr Gevanni. Now if you would please store it in the fridge – you and I have someplace to be”.

“What? But if Near needs me…-”

“He won’t, I assure you, he is more than well-occupied at the moment. But even if he does require assistance, there is still Roger, Rester and Lidner who are available and willing to come to his aid”.

The taller man sighed as he looked around to spot the kitchen. “Where do you want to go anyway?”

“I would like you to drive me to the house of the Yagami family”.

"Give me your cellphone, Mr Gevanni. I'll contact the Headquarters once it's time for you to pick me up". The hesitance in the movement was obvious. The idea of lending his phone to L clearly didn’t appeal to Gevanni. L snatched it with his thumb and index finger as soon it was pulled out of his pocket anyway. “Thank you”.

He stood on the porch for a few moments, waiting for the door to be opened, and heard the car go off to the distance behind him. Sachiko Yagami was once again the one who greeted him.

“Oh, Ryuuzaki-san!”

“Good afternoon, Yagami-san. Is Light-kun here?”

“Yes, he’s in his room. Come in, come in”.

“Thank you, Yagami-san. I won’t take much of his time”. He kicked the new sneakers off his feet a little more tidily than usual and pushed them in the corner next to the door with his toes.

“No need for such formalities, Ryuuzaki-san! From the looks of it, we’ll soon become family!”

_“Not if I can help it we won’t…”_

The sudden tension in his shoulders was a completely instinctive bodily reaction. The small smile he attempted to cast on his face must have looked awfully fake, but there was no way she could pick up on it. “Do you think so?”

The middle-aged woman winked at him playfully. “Call it a mother’s intuition”.

That had always been L’s dream… To become a part of Kira’s family…

“You look better today”. She commented as she guided him to Light’s room.

“I had a refreshing sleep”.

“I’m very glad about that”. They stopped in front of a closed door. “Well, then, I’ll leave you alone. Is there anything you’d like, Ryuuzaki-san? Water, something else to drink, a snack perhaps?”

“No thank you, I won’t be staying long”.

“Alright then. But if you need anything, I’ll be in the kitchen”. She tapped softly on the door. “Light, you have a visitor”.

There was a momentary silence from the inside of the door. "Who is it, mom?"

She opened the door for L and encouraged him to step inside. Then she shut the door gently and left.

Light wasn’t the only one present in the room. Ryuk was hovering slightly above the floor, in a cheerful mood, as always. L was a tiny bit startled once he caught the first glance of the lanky creature.

“What do you want here?” Light asked in a mildly hostile tone. Ryuk simply cackled in amusement to acknowledge his coming to the room.

“I want us to talk. But to be honest, I had not accounted for Shinigami-san’s presence”.

“I’m not gonna bother you. I’ll just be watching. You two are so interesting when you talk!” Ryuk turned his body sideways and assumed what could be described as a laying pose in the air.

“What do you want to talk about?” Light sighed, as if this was a chore for him. It surely couldn’t be more of a chore as it was to L.

“May I sit?”

Light shrugged. “Go ahead”. He sat in his office chair with one leg resting atop of his knee and L occupied the end of the bed. The disdain in Light’s face was evident once the detective brought his legs close to his chest, sitting in his infamous crouch.

“I would like us to talk about Near’s relationship with your sister”.

The arrogant young adult quirked an eyebrow. “What is there to talk about?”

“Your sister must have told you that yesterday they were about to announce their engagement”.

“She did”.

“And you consent to this relationship?”

Now Light looked perplexed. “Why wouldn’t I? Sayu’s free to live her own life”.

This was not going as planned. But since when was anything going as planned in this new, foreign life? He was counting on Light’s hatred for Near. He was counting on Light refusing to accept their relationship because of it. He was counting on finding an unlikely ally in this infuriating paradox he was living. But that plan is now in ruins.

How could Light not want to push Near out of his life?

“Near defeated you”. L reminded him.

“Well, I find it’s in my best interest to keep Near close to me. You know what they say; keep your friends close but your enemies closer. Isn’t that how it goes?”

L’s eyes widened in shock as the terrifying realization came over him.

Now it made sense…

“…You did not go there”. He said in a discouraged voice.

“Bingo”. Kira snapped his fingers in twisted self-satisfaction. “Sayu doesn’t know I was Kira. If Near convicted me that means she would instantly know. And he wouldn’t want the image of her perfect brother to be stained permanently now, would he? No, he wouldn’t want her to be sad, she’s already been through a lot. Or, even worse, to hate him because he didn’t turn a blind eye to the one who is his beloved’s brother”.

“I had always known you were cheap, but frankly I wasn’t expecting you to go that far”.

“I like to call it… self-preservation, more than anything else”.

“And how are you certain that Near is not going to have you arrested simply because he is…dating your sister?” Bluffing didn’t sound effective enough, but it was undoubtedly better than nothing.

“Near doesn’t seem like someone with a lot of experience. In fact, I’d say no experience at all”. His tone was getting cockier by the moment. L felt personally offended by his assumptions. “He wouldn’t want the one person he risked letting in to leave him. Or for her to suffer. He’s going to do everything in his power to protect her. The poor little guy, he’s fallen head over heels for her and it’s his first time”.

L released a quiet hiss which he hid for the most part by biting his thumb. “Near has not ‘fallen head over heels’ for anyone”.

“If you say so… Why do you care about Sayu and Near anyway? No offence, but I seriously doubt you were his caring guardian".

“I was as much of a guardian to Near as much as we were kidnapped”.

Viewing the subject from a technical angle, L could have chosen to be legally considered Near’s guardian at any given time. But the term suited him so little it would almost be laughable. Guardians don’t tend to develop romantic feelings for their charges or to engage in various inappropriate activities with them. Well, good guardians don’t.

“I see. I wasn’t expecting anything else, to be honest. You don’t seem very good at handling kids. Anyway…-”

“Can I ask you guys a question?” Ryuk spoke all of a sudden. He was still floating above the floor, almost having turned himself upside down now.

Light was irritated to be interrupted. “If you must. But make it quick”.

“Do humans around your age kiss little boys on the mouth? Is it like, a normal human thing?”

L turned his head sideways warily to face the rather too-curious God of Death.

“…What?” Light asked in disgust.

“I mean, don’t you get punished for it?”

“Of course you do”. The brunet scoffed. L chose to observe the situation a while longer in slight nervousness. “It’s a serious crime that’s called pedophilia. You get thrown in jail for many years – maybe your whole life in some cases. But what does this have to do with our conversation, Ryuk?”

L’s monkey-like toes gripped the edge of the bed. He had concluded that Gods of Death have a way of catching several glimpses of the human world – through some kind of circular portals – but… the possibility was still pretty low… The earth’s population is approximately 7 billion. It would be nearly impossible for Ryuk to have…

“Well, when we first came across this guy I thought I knew him. And now I know why: I’ve seen you before”. The last line was addressed to L.

“Would you like to explain yourself, Shinigami-san?” He said in the calmest tone possible. He had to conceal the panic creeping up his chest.

"I was about to ask you the same thing, Ryuk". Light added because, as per usual, he needed to have the last word. L was too busy focusing on the white noise ringing in his ears to roll his eyes.

“It happened a day when I was bored, but it was years ago. I needed a random human to watch and I spotted him. It was the first time I saw a human with only a letter for a first name, so I stuck around”. It seemed that Ryuk was talking more to Light than he was talking to him. “He took a small, really white human with him in a car and they went to a park. It was night. They looked around them and then L-san over here kissed the little human. Pretty sure that’s what it’s called… Anyway, turns out, that human was Nate River. Guess your world’s pretty small, huh?”

Each sentence brought L closer and closer to a possible heart attack. By the time Ryuk was finished every hint of colour was drained from his face. He swallowed thickly. He couldn’t deny it – Ryuk was a mostly neutral force, he had no reason to lie like a human would have.

Aside from the obvious complications in the nature of their relationship, L also wanted it to be kept a secret to make sure Near was safe. He didn’t want any of his enemies to use Near as leverage to get to him. And now the worst enemy of them all – Kira – was aware of the situation.

L would much rather they were dead again.

Light’s reaction had various phases. During the first phase, immediately after Ryuk’s speech, he took on an expression that hovered between fearful and revolted. He took a calculatingly skittish look at L and slowly entered his second phase. His head shook slightly as it went limp, bending over and his shoulders began shaking – it was the quickest of the three stages. The twitch in his shoulders became more apparent as little sardonic laughs started escaping him. Light revealed his face again with an explosive fit of laughter. It was harsh and it reminded L of that malicious way the villains celebrated their brief victory in children’s movies that Near had convinced him to watch once or twice.

“Oh, that’s rich!” The maniac across him roared once his laughter eased down, bringing his hands together once in a clapping motion like a deranged seal. “So that’s why you’re so keen on breaking Sayu and your Near apart! Do you know what that means, L? My killing you was perfectly justified!” There was another horrible fit of sneering. “Tell me, was he your first victim? Or were there others? I bet…-”

“Systematically abusing children in a sexual manner is far from my lifestyle, if you have to know”. He couldn’t prevent his brow from furrowing and the corner of his mouth from twitching slightly.

It wasn’t like he expected anything better from Kira.

The words in L's defence didn't seem to hinder Light enough to stop the idiotic, self-satisfying smirk that spread itself across the full length of his mouth. "Full offence this time L, but why would I trust the pathological liar you have clearly shown to be in the past? Actually, I think I did Near a favour by killing you. Well, I obviously did a favour to the whole world, but Near must have particularly benefited from your death. I mean, just think about it: he gained access to possibly the world’s largest wealth and his abuser disappeared – all overnight. I truly am the virtuous God this world needs". He droned on for a little while as he marvelled over himself in an entirely narcissistic fashion, but L couldn’t process anything he heard after Light explaining how Near could have benefitted from his death.

Near’s sole purpose in life after entering Wammy’s House was to excel in his training so that he may succeed L one day. Still, Near had never displayed any special interest for the title, like other children had, but perhaps this sort of upbringing had created a subconscious desire for his death. It might not have been Near’s fault. He might not even have realised it himself.

No, he mustn’t have such thoughts. Especially now, that everything – from humans to Gods of Death – seems to conspire against his very existence. Considering that Near might be happy because of his death was…disconcerting, to say the least. Even more so if Near saw it as a liberation because he felt trapped. But that was just ridiculous…! Their relationship was born out of mutual feelings they had developed for each other and every activity was fully consensual. L couldn’t let himself be caught so easily in Kira’s web and doubt that. Maybe it wasn’t the number one healthiest relationship of the century, but there was irrefutably no abuse involved.

“…You’re disgusting”. L finally said, his lips a thin upside-down line, with his eyes defensively narrowed.

Light shrugged nonchalantly, smiling still. “Said the pot to the cattle. I’m not the one raping kids here”.

Controlling his temper and his responses had never been difficult before. So why did he feel the maddening need to defend himself now? Why did he feel the need to plead with innocence for a crime he didn’t commit?

It wasn’t because he cared about Light Yagami’s opinion, that’s for sure. It was because he couldn’t bear the weight of the mere thought of hurting Near in such a vile way.

Despite what Kira may think, their affair hadn’t been sexual. Near had been too young to rouse any desire of that kind from L. They were supposed to take the next step after Near’s sixteenth birthday, but that never happened due to obvious reasons.

“Believe what you will. It really makes no difference”. Hadn’t Watari believed he was a sexual deviant at the beginning too? Watari’s opinion he had valued to some degree and he hoped he had managed to convince him otherwise over the years. Kira’s opinion is of no importance. “It’s apparent you are not of any help to me”.

“I don’t think you’re going to find anyone who wants to help a desperate pedophile”.

L was none of the aforementioned terms. Was it that hard to grasp? He didn’t prey on pre-pubescent children and he wouldn’t allow himself to wallow in desperation no matter the situation. He was just… alarmed at present.

Ryuk had been watching the entirety of their exchange, his round, bulging eyes glowing with twisted delight. Light was right for this one. It really seemed like he was viewing some kind of comedy on TV. The only accessory missing was the traditional basket of popcorn.

When L ignored Light's offensive remark, the self-proclaimed saviour of the world continued. (Self-proclamation of positions they were undeserving of might run in the Yagami family after all. Light is under the illusion that he is the God of the New World and Sayu is under the illusion that she is Near’s fiancée.) “And now, if you would be so kind, please leave my house. I don’t like to associate myself with…your kind. You are not fit to be in my presence”.

The detective had a momentary serious urge to kick the too-perfectly shining teeth out of Kira’s mouth but fought it with a demonstrative roll of his eyes instead. “Either way, I had no plans of wasting more of my time with a useless murderer”. Just like the old times: an eye for an eye. Or in this case, an insult for an insult. The only difference was that L’s counter-attack was but the raw truth exposed. He hopped proudly off the bed and strode towards the door.

That shook Light enough to get him out of his chair. “I’ll get you back for that!” He hissed. “That and everything else you’ve done! I’ll give you the justice you deserve”.

“Not before you are put to prison where you deserve to rot. And I will personally arrange for this to happen, with or without Near”. It was now unlikely that Near would give him such liberties as the right to sentence anybody he wished to imprisonment, but Kira didn’t need to know that.

Light crossed his hands in front of his chest and gave him a deadly stare as he left his domain. “No one’s stopping you from trying. And failing”.

“Oh ho ho…!” Ryuk laughed ominously. “I smell fun ahead!”

When he asked Gevanni about Near’s whereabouts upon their entrance in the Headquarters he told him he didn’t know. Near had asked to be left alone with Sayu.

That took a few seconds to process.

Near… alone…with _her_?

As in… stupidity incarnate…alone with _Near_?

He has to take action immediately.

“Mr Gevanni, there is a security room, isn’t there?”

“Well,…yes…”

“With cameras on every floor?”

“You can’t be thinking of finding where they are through the security system!”

“You didn’t answer my question, Mr Gevanni”.

"Yes, there are cameras on every floor but…-"

“Then, I fail to see the issue”.

Using cameras to find Near was quite common for L. The boy ended up playing in such strange places he just didn't have the time to always search around the orphanage for him in his physical presence. The security system had become his right-hand assistant in finding Near.

“But it’s a violation of privacy!” The underling whined.

“It’s very obvious that you do not agree with my method, Mr Gevanni. That’s quite alright. I’m not asking you to agree. I’m asking you to show me the security room”.

Gevanni was more stubborn than expected but conceded in leading him to the security room at last.

Spotting Near in such a big building, even through the cameras, wasn’t easy. It was definitely larger than Wammy’s House and the fact that L hadn’t the layout completely memorized yet was a terrible inconvenience. A few minutes of thorough searching later, L caught the sight of a slender white figure sitting on a couch with a knee folded protectively close to him.

…And the sight of a certain brown-haired girl latching onto him like a leech…

The down-left side of the screen read: _20:28, 6 th Floor, Living Room_

Looks like the analysis of the files from Near’s team would have to wait.

L had to supervise the gestures of affection exchanged between Near and…Sayu. And eventually invent a way to get disposed of the female invader. He had a war to fight ahead of him and unfortunately he seemed to be utterly alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was supposed to finish writing this chapter some days ago, but a friend of mine recently passed away, so I haven't been in the most productive mood lately.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few days ago I found out that my best friend and my dad ship Near with Sayu. Now I'm disappointed in both of them...

“Good evening”. Despite L’s effort to greet them casually, the expressions on Near’s and her face were all but casual. They looked like they had been just caught red-handed, even though they weren’t assuming a particularly compromising position when L arrived.

“Ah, Ryuuzaki-san!” Sayu Yagami exclaimed, flustered, as though as she had been seen lying on a bed and not sitting on a couch. Her reaction was either an indication of prudery, or stupidity. He would bet his chances on the latter.

“What are you doing here?” Near asked in an almost accusatory tone, as though L really had interrupted something more private. Had he? It didn’t seem like he had. But if he had, he couldn’t care less about interrupting.

“Well, I just took care of some minor business I had and thought it would be nice to pay you two a visit. I do hope I am not interrupting anything”.

“Oh, no, I really wanted to get to know you better, Ryuuzaki-san!” Snapped her before Near could speak.

“Likewise, Sayu-chan”. L lied and sat on the sofa across theirs. He received a confused stare from her at his chosen way of sitting, but no comments. “So, how did you two meet? I must say I’m curious”.

“You haven’t told him yet?” She turned to her make-believe boyfriend. “Would you like to tell him now?”

“I believe you are a better narrator than I am”. Near answered coolly.

“Oh, alright then”. On second thought, the brown colouring in her eyes wasn’t warm at all. It was dirty. Filthy, even. “You see, Ryuuzaki-san, Near and I had our first meeting in a… not-so-romantic place. I had gone to visit Light’s grave – when we still thought that you two were dead – but I found Near and Mrs. Lidner already standing there. I asked him if he knew Light and he told me that my brother had died a brave death fighting against Kira. I also asked how he knew all of that and he said that he was a detective investigating the Kira Case. Then we went out to talk, and we met again a few days after, and again, and again… And now…here we are!”

L wanted to bang his head against the wall with force. Or jump out of the window. Either alternative was fine.

Near had told her he was L. On. Their. First. Meeting. He might as well have appeared in a global TV channel and announce it publicly.

Perhaps Near was not fit to be his successor after all…?

But that’s not the most urgent of matters at the moment. Now that L is here, he may soon see to a re-evaluation for the successor’s position.

“…Fascinating”. He managed to say softly. “Your first meeting really was…fatal then, wasn’t it?” In both senses of the word…

She laughed, maybe a bit nervously. “I guess so! I’m very glad I went to visit Light’s grave that day…” Her face took on a pitifully dreamy expression, as if she was reminiscing the events of that day. “Um, Ryuuzaki-san, if I’m not being prying, how did you and Near meet?”

He hadn’t planned an answer to this question, but it wasn’t a problem. Making stories up on the spot was something he always had a penchant for.

“Sayu, there is something I need to tell you”. Near didn’t let him come up with an imaginary first meeting for them.

“Of course! What is it?”

“Ryuuzaki is not actually my adoptive father”.

…What was Near playing at?

“Yes, I remember Ryuuzaki-san saying it was more complicated than that at mom’s house…”

“To put it simply, he is not the one who raised me either”.

Two ‘outings’ in just one day were too much…

But the question is, why would Near reveal that voluntarily? Surely, he wouldn’t appear more attractive in Sayu’s eyes if he admitted to being romantically involved with a man over twice his age at the time. He’d most likely be pitied and would receive comforting gestures, such as hugs, but still, L couldn’t figure out what Near was aiming at with this confession.

“…Eh?” Came the terribly clever response. “But then…-”

“Do you recall how I told you there was another detective in this position before me?”

“Yeah…”

“Then, allow me to properly introduce you to L, my predecessor”.

…Well, that was an unexpected turn that things took. Time can only tell eventually if it was for better or for worse.

Her dirty-brown eyes widened to an almost comical extent and she gasped as her mouth formed an ‘O’-like shape. It went without saying that the momentary urge to tell her to not let flies enter her wide-open oral cavity did cross L’s mind. After she regained control over herself, her eyes, full of (in L’s opinion) uncalled-for surprise, took turns in looking at him and Near. “…L? As in, the L? The one who’s solved so many cases across the world?”

“Indeed”. Near replied. His motives behind this revelation were still unknown, but this was definitely far more tolerable than being exposed as a supposed pedophile.

Her head snapped over to L. “…R-Ryuuzaki-san…I mean, L-san! Is it okay for me to call you L-san? Your work is amazing! And you standing up against Kira…it was very brave! You’re a very kind person! I’m really honoured to meet you”.

There was a 91% chance that the people who have actually met L would strongly disagree with her telling, but there was no need to spoil that idolized picture just yet. “I’m sure you understand it is imperative for myself and Near to conceal our real identities, but there is no harm in you calling me L when we are in this building”. He found it redundant to respond to all of her patterned, hypocritical flattery. He has heard more or less the same compliments coming from governors so many times it almost feels like a mantra at this point. Or like a poem everyone has to memorize before talking to him.

She nodded, supposedly understanding. “Yes, Near made it clear from the start how important it is to keep his identity a secret”.

“It’s true”. Near said in sync with him. L could have cracked a smile if it weren’t for the sister of Kira having her eyes locked on him. But in the present situation he only stared back at him. Old habits did die hard, in the end. They used to complete each other’s sentences or reach a conclusion in unison so often before.

Sayu lifted her hand and rubbed her index finger against her chin. “You know, now that I can take a better look at you both, you really do look alike. Are you sure you’re not related at all?”

If L had a penny for every time he heard this…he wouldn’t actually be much richer because the people who have met Near in person are very few and the people who have seen them sitting side by side are even fewer. But it felt equally tiresome all the same. 

“We have no blood relations whatsoever”. Near was quick to respond, curling a strand of hair around his fingers.

“But we’ve been told oftentimes that the similarity is uncanny”. L added.

“I guess that’s true!” She flashed a toothy grin. “So, Ryuuzaki-san…oh, I’m sorry, L-san, will you be staying here with Near?”

“Yes, I think I’ll spend some time here, in Japan”.

“Aren’t you going to England?” It wasn’t as much of a question as it was a remark. And if Near didn’t want him here, then he had all the more reason to stay.

“Not for the time being, I don’t plan to. Not for at least another three months”. He shifted his gaze to the young woman. “Sayu-chan, not everything we had to say at your mother’s house were untrue. Near really is more than a successor to me. As such, I’d like to make sure he is in good hands before I leave, you understand”. Telling truths and mingling them with parts of bigger lies were L’s favourite lies to tell. And the most effective ones.

She nodded, pressing her hands together between her jeans. That last line had left her slightly nervous. It was probably then that she worked out that she would have someone constantly observing her. “Yes, yes, of course”. It is a miracle for Near to have found a girl with so much understanding…

“But, before we dive deeper into the matter, could I please ask for a favour, Sayu-chan?” She nodded yet again, eagerly. “Could you bring me a cup of coffee, if it’s not too much trouble for you?” He could feel Near’s large obsidian eyes practically piercing into him as he articulated his last sentence, but that didn’t discourage L at all. He didn’t want her coffee anyway. (It was almost certain it would be so tasteless that he won’t be able to get even a sip of it down.) He wanted her to go to the kitchen.

She jumped off the couch way too eagerly for the action to be genuine. “Right away, L-san. How do you drink your coffee?”

“I’m not picky. Just bring some extra sugar, if possible”.

“Sure. I’ll be right back”. She left hurriedly for the kitchen, itching to please.

“You might not have entirely conceived it yet, but neither Sayu nor Gevanni are your Watari”. Near told him in a deadly cold tone once he made sure his fiancée was out of hearing range.

“Rest at ease. She is not going to die from exhaustion if she prepares me a cup of coffee. As for Gevanni, his duties circle around fulfilling your requests, and now, by extension, mine as well”. Near was about to counter that, but L didn’t let him. “You told her all about your position the very first time you met her. Why?”

“That, is none of your business”.

“It is if your actions put the title of L in a peril”. 

“I’ve been handling the title just fine until now. You don’t have to worry”.

“It doesn’t seem like it. What if she tells her mother? What if her mother tells the neighborhood? It’ll be spread across Japan in no time, like a wildfire. And soon everyone in the world will know the true identity of L”.

“You’re exaggerating”.

“Am I now? Have you told her about Deneuve and Coil as well?”

“No”. Near glared at him in a slightly offended manner, as if he wasn’t the one going around telling irrelevant people about the (not-so-secret-anymore) identity of L.

“That’s good. At least we can work under those aliases if L is found out”.

“Sayu is not going to tell her mother. Or anyone else for that matter. She is not that kind of person”.

L shrugged but remained unconvinced. “I can only hope you are right”.

The fact that Near hasn’t informed her about L, Eraldo Coil and Deneuve all being the same person might be a positive sign. It indicated that there might still be an ounce of reason inside Near’s head.

Sayu re-entered the living room only moments after L was finished talking, much to his displeasure. She walked in quick strides, displaying the result of her attempt to make coffee in a cup and a bowl of sugar cubes proudly in her hands. (As if there wasn’t a tray anywhere in the kitchen…)

“Here you go, L-san”. She put the cup and the bowl on the coffee table and didn’t miss the chance to immediately occupy the position next to Near again. “I hope you like it, I did my best”.

“I’m certain I will”. (Not.) Knowing that trying this coffee without at least adding eight sugar cubes first wasn’t much better than looking for a way to commit suicide, L still brought the porcelain cup near his lips. Just by the smell, he recognised an absolutely non-potable drink – the scent was nauseating, much too coffee-like. But he still pretended to take a few sips, always being careful to not actually drink. Then he held the cup close to him, instead of putting it down on the table, so that they wouldn’t notice the level of the brownish liquid hadn’t been lowered. “It has quite a unique taste to it, I’m not sure I can exactly describe it”.

“Cooking and preparing drinks is one of Sayu’s hobbies”. Near said.

“Is that so, Sayu-chan?” A pretentiously coy blush dusted her cheeks as she squeezed her legs together again and tilted her head. “Very interesting. Why don’t you tell me more about yourself?”

L extended his hand to the bowl. Who knows when he would find sugar again? It was an alarmingly growing rarity these days. He stuffed five white cubes into his palm and began by putting the first one in his mouth. She stared at him flabbergasted, as though as a second head had grown on his shoulder. Nonetheless, she didn’t touch upon the matter and went on with the conversation, acting like nothing had changed for her.

Near had no visible reaction to this action. L had eaten too many sweets in front of him for this to elicit surprise – even raw sugar, like now. And although L had tried to get him multiple times to eat a sweet or two, he had stubbornly refused every time. When L was even willing to share his own sweets with him. At the time it didn’t really seem to matter – there was more cake for him, after all – but now the detective found it to be plain ungrateful. L didn’t share his sweets with just anyone.

During that evening he learned the majority of surface-level things one could know about Sayu Yagami. (Not to imply that there is much more to discover underneath the surface, no.) She was a student aspiring to acquire an English teacher degree, in some obscure local university and was currently in her third year. Oddly enough, she didn’t have a part-time job to support her studies. Her family seemingly possessed the income to back her up. She lived by herself in a small apartment near her university and visited her mother on weekends. Her hobbies included cooking, preparing drinks – as Near mentioned earlier – and reading books. Her personality was just as boring and flat as her appearance. Nothing out of the ordinary.

How on earth did she approach Near with such… lack of qualities? (Not even to mention the lack of intelligence.)

Did she practice black magic or mind control?

In exchange, L had to reveal some facts about himself too. He told her he was intrigued by the concept of justice, that he wished to make the world a better place, even little by little, and that he despised unfairness. Basically, everything the public thought was true about him. He needed to keep that mental image of the flawless, virtuous detective intact inside her head, in case he had something to gain through her sympathy and respect for his position. It could come in handy. He also mentioned that he liked sweets very much. Although she should have figured that out herself by now. Moreover, L told her he couldn’t see himself maintaining a romantic relationship with someone due to the nature of his work, but that didn’t necessarily have to be the case for Near.

At this she clasped her hands together expectantly on her lap, as if she had just received his acceptance and his approval. She couldn’t be any more wrong.

They collectively decided to call it a night at about 11 PM. She wished L ‘goodnight’ with a suspiciously smiley face, as if she actually had a good time talking to him, and shuffled off her way out of the apartment with small, almost shy steps. 

Near escorted her to the elevator, leaving L alone in the living room. That meant he could finally put that cup with the repulsively-smelling bitter goo down. He stole another sugar cube from the now half-empty bowl (the outcome of him steadily consuming its content every ten or so minutes) and quickly ascended to his floor using the stairway.

The windows at his bedroom had a very clear view of the road across the headquarters and he rushed to the glass just on time to witness Near and his… given-the-benefit-of-doubt fiancée arriving in front the car in which Gevanni was waiting patiently. L had the unprecedented urge to claw at some piece of furniture with his chewed nails as he saw them share a goodnight kiss. Near seemed to be the one who initiated it but he couldn’t say for certain. It was fairly dark.

Perhaps taking a look at those files he had requested would help him direct his frustration elsewhere.

(Gevanni couldn’t possibly be an actual name…)

~

_L recalled that day – well, night – perfectly, as if it were just yesterday. Ryuk had missed some details, fortunately for him._

_It was Near’s tenth birthday. They hadn’t managed to spend much time together during the day, so L wanted to at least make the evening memorable. It was a big step at the time, as they had never been able to be together outside the walls of Wammy’s – Near clearly couldn’t follow L on his travels around the world._

_They waited until Watari and everyone else was asleep and then sneaked out, all while being careful not to stumble upon a caretaker who carried out their nightshift. They met up at the parking lot of the orphanage, exactly a quarter past ten. L led Near to one of the cars Watari stored up for their transportation during a visit. He helped the child climb into the car and tied his seatbelt for him, although, Near was not incapable of performing those actions on his own._

_L asked him where he wished to go._

_“It doesn’t matter. Just as long as you’ll be there with me”. Was the answer he was given._

_They ended up going to the cinema. As they were staring at the shiny posters of the films available for tonight, Near tugged at his shirt and asked him to go to a children’s movie. It wasn’t what L would have preferred to watch ideally, but it was relatively late and very few children tagged along by their parents would be here for this screening, so it was a suitable environment. It was also a good solution to avoid being asked whether Near was over thirteen or not._

_The auditorium was practically empty, save for two little girls followed by their mothers, a family with two children - a boy and a girl - and four or five couples of hormonal-driven teenagers who were apparently looking for a quiet place to devour each other’s faces in peace._

_L and Near sat at the very last row, after having bought a bag of candy, chocolate bars and other confections, and a mini paper box of popcorn respectively. Luckily, no one else sat at the back row, so Near was able to settle himself onto L’s lap, after him getting a little droopy during the middle of the film. The man secured his hands around his waist and Near snuggled the back of his head closer to the other’s bony chest. Probably not the most comfortable of pillows, but he didn’t seem to complain._

_Both of them having long since lost their interest in the movie after the first few minutes, they started talking quietly to each other. They spoke about the film, pointed out the mistakes in the plot, how it could have been improved and even discussed the inconsistency of some of the characters. Near complained that the voice acting was ‘mediocre at best’. L hadn’t watched many children’s movies before (or even a few, for that matter, this was his first time) but the inflection of the voices did sound corny indeed._

_After having reviewed the movie up until the point they had watched thoroughly, Near began getting restless – a side-effect of boredom. He was generally known among the others at the orphanage for moving so little it was almost unhealthy for his physical condition, but L supposed it was not possible to keep a ten-year-old child completely restricted, even a child with Near’s intellect. The boy kicked off his sneakers, repositioned himself on L many times and scanned around the complete area of the auditorium at least thrice._

_Then he put his knees on either side of L’s hips, sat up, and placed a small kiss on the corner of his mouth. Even though the detective was somewhat taken aback, this was not completely unanticipated, given Near’s previous agitated behaviour._

_“Wouldn’t you like to wait until the film is over?”_

_The determined child on his lap shook his head negatively and leaned in again. “No”._

_L thought the matter over in his head quickly and concluded that he couldn’t really deny him this favour. It was Near’s birthday and besides, the chances of them being spotted were reassuringly low. It was safe._

_And as uneven lips caressed each other, and L indulged in the sweet taste of Near’s mouth (Near always tasted inexplicably sweet for someone who constantly refused to eat sweets) he couldn’t help but wonder where that metaphorical line that divided him from those ‘hormonal-driven’ teenagers sitting just three rows in front of them was._

_As L was driving them back to the orphanage, Near called his attention and admitted he didn’t want to return just yet. L considered that possibility for a moment. It wasn’t awfully late, and there wasn’t much traffic in the streets. If they were lucky and Watari wasn’t unexpectedly awakened for whatever reason, no one would know of their absence. All in all, it wasn’t such an unreasonable request. It seemed to L that time had slipped by unusually fast too._

_They drove to a secluded, solitary park on the outskirts of the city. There was not a single soul around the area except for them. That was good. It was so quiet that even crickets could be heard chattering in the distance. The air was pleasantly cool but not chilly._

_Near got off the car in an uncharacteristically energetic manner. He seemed fairly enthusiastic about the whole matter, although, to L’s knowledge at least, this park wasn’t a particularly special place._

_Aside from the unattended grass and bleached-out benches, there was also an equally uncared-for playground, by the nature of which, Near didn’t appear unsatisfied. He all but rushed (what would be deemed rushing for Near’s standards anyway) to one of the swings. He sat on the middle swing, swaying his legs only slightly above the ground and looking at L’s direction, hinting he wanted to be pushed._

_L came over behind him slowly, not fully understanding Near’s want_ _but going with it. He pushed the boy lightly at first, actually feeling worried that if he put on more pressure, he might injure him somehow. Near more often than not gave the outward impression that he was fragile and needed to be treated with care. Perhaps the main factors contributing to this were his rather short height for his age and the overall lack of angles in his appearance._

_Some mostly small swings later, Near put his sneakered foot down and stopped his going back and forth altogether._

_“Is something wrong?” L asked and moved himself in front of Near, slightly tilting his head to the side._

_“No”. A moment of consideration. “I had a wonderful time with you tonight”._

_The detective felt himself relaxing at the response and kneeled down. “As had I”. Another pause. “Is there anything troubling you?”_

_“How long is this going to last?”_

_“…How long do you want it to last?”_

_“What if someone else besides Watari finds out? What if Roger finds out? And if he reports it? What if a child finds out? I don’t want them blaming you because they think you treat me differently as a successor”._

_Explaining to Near that he is indeed, even unconsciously sometimes, treated more indulgently, despite the gibberish L repeats to Watari every other day, is a time-consuming conversation that can be postponed for later._

_He encircled the child’s face with his palms and stroked his cheek with his thumb. “I don’t want you worrying about that”. He spoke in a firm, yet gentle tone. “In the event that anything does happen, rest assured I’ll take care of it. You don’t need to concern that bright mind of yours with that”. He inclined the boy’s head slightly down, so that he could plant a kiss on his forehead. “Alright?”_

_Near nodded, albeit with a tiny reluctance. “L?”_

_“Yes?”_

_“Tell me that we’ll never break up, that always be together”._

_L couldn’t help but let a small smile be displayed on his features at the naïve request. It was nice knowing that Near still maintained at least a little of his innocence as a child, despite all else. In another situation that innocence might have seemed as an unattractive quality, but honestly, now it was adorably endearing. He cast a wary look around them. Every road and pavement was completely empty._

_As a reply he joined their lips together. After kissing inside the cinema, this could be allowed just for today too._

_Near kissed back immediately, almost greedily, and tied his hands behind L’s back. L angled his head to the right, to deepen the kiss in a sensual but not sexual way, without using his tongue. That was something to be savored for later. Maybe when Near is thirteen…twelve…_

_“L?” They rested their foreheads together, their breaths mixing._

_“Yes, my little one?”_

_“I want us to be together forever”._

_~_

L was gradually beginning to dislike sleeping more and more and he didn’t think that to be possible.

He was in desperate need of a computer. Even if he didn’t work, he could still browse the internet and busy himself with something. He’d read articles, watch videos, anything. He would even play those video games Matt used to be so ecstatic about if it meant staying awake.

Sayu Yagami was one of the most simple-minded females L ever had the displeasure to be acquainted with. She was even more unintelligent than Misa Amane, and that alone said a lot.

But at least Misa possessed a striking appearance. Although a tad short, she had been (he was recently informed of her suicide) stunning, if L had to say so himself. Delicate features, legs in good proportion to her height, perhaps slightly long, slim waist, captivating cleavage and a golden mane of straight, flawlessly-brushed hair. And she knew how to properly compliment each and every one of her qualities by dressing in skirts and tops that barely left anything to the imagination. However, a detail L had never managed to memorize was the colour of her eyes. Misa always wore eye-contacts and changed into a different pair almost every other day. It is still unknown to him whether her eyes had been blue or hazel.

Not that it matters.

Either way, Sayu can’t hold a candle to the creature of beauty and unsubtle seduction that was Misa Amane. Sayu could easily be physically described in just one word, and that was average. She wasn’t exceptionally tall, or exceptionally beautiful or exceptionally anything, really. Light truly did have a possessively selfish kind of personality: he even kept the best genes for himself. L’s guess was, she had to make a tremendous effort to maintain her relatively thin form, as she probably gained weight on all the wrong places. Misa had dyed her hair, yes, but at least with that colour she could be distinguished among a crowd with ease, whereas Sayu would be lost in the heap of dozens of other dark-haired Japanese girls. She dressed conservatively, in a way that prevented L from assessing her form more thoroughly, but her hips seemed just slightly wider than they should be. Her eyes and hair were both a dull shade of brown. In conclusion, nothing on her stood out. She was one of those people you might get past on your way home and forget you had seen them the very next second.

But the question still remained, urgent on L’s mind as ever: then what in the world attracted Near to her?

If Sayu was a goddess of elegance and sensuality he could maybe comprehend Near’s need to experiment with her and the emotions he had left untapped up until now. L would have understood the whole situation more then. By no means would he have sat mutely and accept it casually, but at least he would see some of the logic behind it.

But now…?

It was just…incomprehensible.

(Except if Near had been so desperate after L’s death that he wished to die of boredom and engaged in conversations with Sayu. That, he would understand.)

It couldn’t have been her personality or her intelligence that intrigued Near. Because there was none of the two to speak of. The traits of her personality couldn’t be any more basic and on an intellectual level she sparred with Matsuda. L wouldn’t be surprised if, once this ridiculous fiasco was over, those two were involved in a relationship. They matched each other perfectly in brainlessness.

Furthermore, in the meantime of his staying, L had learned a thing or two about Near’s team.

Rester (real name: Anthony Carter) was the one Near trusted the most and usually kept at his side. L might have been troubled about that, if not for the fact that the man is married with two daughters and well over his forties. He was reticent and did seem loyal but he wasn’t particularly clever.

Lidner (real name: Halle Bullock) was usually assigned with spying, and it fit her because she was nosy, yet knew when to not talk and listen to her instructions. L’s initial opinion was that she is a bit two-faced but she was probably the smartest out of the three too.

Gevanni (real name: Stephen Loud) was the one L disliked the most so far. Stephen (L refused to call him by that absurd alias) was mainly used for external tasks and he opposed his directions for a case daily, not following his orders until Near repeated the words to him. He appeared sly in a way L couldn’t put his finger on just yet, as he physically approached Near far more than the other two did.

He shall investigate Stephen further after he’s gotten disposed of Sayu.

One problem at a time.

_She_ has been getting bolder lately. Visiting more and more, and for longer time periods.

Or rather, the most appropriate word would be insolent. She doesn’t care whether or not there is work that needs to be done, she must absolutely see Near. Sometimes they don’t even bother going to Near’s private floor and they just stay in the Investigation Room. They send away the others but not L because fortunately they don’t have the audacity to kick him out of the room yet. Although, they usually don’t need to. L leaves by himself. They kiss, they hug, they feed each other fruits. It’s the most angering and sickening sight L has ever witnessed.

It’s laughable but he doesn’t trust himself 100% not to say anything and just mind his own business, so he retreats to the Security Room and observes them from there instead. It’s safer and more comfortable that way. He can comment on anything he wants. They can’t hear him. How Sayu’s hair seems oily, how her clothes are unmatched, how she questions Near about unknown words when he speaks, how Near is completely out of his mind. L often thinks that this is not Near. That this is but a decoy posing as Near and the real Near is hidden in some abandoned warehouse, in the other corner of the world, waiting for L to save him.

He actually prefers this reality to his current everyday life.

At least one time per week, Near and…Sayu go outside of the Headquarters. Once per week is an immense record for Near and L still can’t believe how he tolerates being in public so frequently, and with a company such as hers nonetheless. It must be humiliating, being seen with an overly giddy girl like her. Not that L particularly cares about public image but, this is Near’s image that is most definitely being compromised.

He doesn’t know what they do during their so-called ‘dates’ and he is not sure whether he wants to find out.

(Who is he kidding?)

Maybe he can send someone to follow them some day. Probably Roger, because he is the easiest to blackmail.

As a result of her longer and more common visits, Near works less and less. But that also means L has more cases to blow his steam off. Which is therapeutic and incredibly worrisome at the same time. But lately, since he uses work as a means of therapy, he can see the faint dark circles forming under the eyes of Roger and the rest of the team, as he keeps them with him within reasonable work hours (they’ll always be back in their apartments before 2 AM) and they get paid overtime.

Is he making them stay on purpose even though he all but needs them?

Yes, yes he is.

But moving on to more important matters. L was informed about something repulsively grotesque a few days ago.

“You are the one paying the rent for Sayu’s apartment, are you not?” He once asked Near as the shift of their ‘supervisor’ changed and they were finally left alone for a while. It was now Rester’s turn.

“Do you have any evidence supporting this assumption?”

“Is it true?” L had insisted. They only had so much time before Rester came in.

“I never approve or disapprove of an assumption before I listen to the justification behind it. You are the one who taught me that”. Near was just airily making origami. At the moment he was folding the red sheet of paper in his hands appropriately to make what could either be a duck or a swan. Some sort of bird either way. It would most likely be given to Sayu on her evening visit. Such a waste of talent and creativity… (Oh, the times when Near would sew little dolls, create puppets, make his various paper-based creations just for him…) 

L’s loathing of idleness came second only to his hate for his strategies backfiring at him. Or in this case, his teachings.

Like the strategy of lying, for example. It was okay for Near to lie to others. In fact, Near should lie to others every once in a while to keep in shape and L himself encouraged that fully. But he shouldn’t lie _to L_. One day, years ago, when he had discovered that Near had lied to him, he had been very much upset, even though the lie itself had been very innocent: Near said that he had eaten his whole dinner when in reality he had barely touched it because he wasn’t hungry. The detective had picked his then-boyfriend up from the floor and placed him on his lap. He spent the entirety of that evening explaining why Near shouldn’t lie to him ever again.

And now all of his efforts, his teachings and his advice were forming themselves into a quite formidable opponent.

“Soichiro Yagami is dead. Sachiko Yagami is a housewife. Light Yagami is currently unemployed. Sayu Yagami does not have a part-time job as far as I’m aware. Therefore, it is highly unlikely for the family to receive any other income except Soichiro Yagami’s pension. Their funds are simply not enough to pay for the rent of a whole apartment and to run a household at the same time. And that’s where you, the noble sponsor of Sayu Yagami, fit in. Am I wrong, Near?”

His successor remained silent for a few moments. He was very concentrated in finishing his duck, swan, parrot, whatever. He then looked at the outcome in subtle displeasure. Near got up, walked right past L’s chair and threw the paper bird on L’s desk carelessly. “Have this one. It didn’t come out as good as I thought it would have. I’ll be back shortly”. L was left with the duck/swan but with no answer, and he could only stare at the complex creation in surprise and disbelief. “For your information…” He spun his head around instantly to see Near standing at the doorstep. “…I do not pay for Sayu’s rent”. Of course. Near couldn’t possibly be so…- “I bought the apartment for her”.

Now L knew what choking on thin air felt like. The ivory-haired boy mercilessly abandoned him to deal with the news and the possible identity crisis he might have developed ever since he’s been brought to this world again.

He grabbed the meticulously folded paper from the desk and crushed it angrily between his fingers. It was not meant for him anyway.

That was absolutely not how he planned for his fortune to be spent.

Today Near mentioned he has something of great importance to announce to all of them. L obviously can’t know what this is about before he is told, but he has had a bad hunch ever since he came downstairs this morning. Near gathered them all in the area behind the Investigation Room, where L and Near had eaten their breakfast the first morning after L’s comeback. They all sat on the glass table, awaiting for the announcement.

The initiator of the meeting only started talking after Lidner and Stephen ceased whispering to each other. “As you all know, I am currently in a relationship with Sayu Yagami”.

“You couldn’t have let us forgotten, even if we wanted to”. L interrupted. He rested his head on his crossed arms atop of his knees. Did Near call them here just to go over his relationship status? This was a waste of time…

The younger genius continued undeterred, paying his snarky comment little to no mind. “We, Sayu and myself that is, have been discussing much lately, and came to the conclusion that the way things are being done now is extremely impractical. I am only informing you on this because it concerns you on some level”. There was a pause clearly meant to emphasize the statement about to be said and Near tugged at his hair. Was he nervous about it?

“Sayu and I are moving in together”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good news (or bad news, depends how you see it): L will be taking real action in the next chapter ;)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if nothing interesting happens in this chapter. There was originally going to be a long chapter (although this ended up being pretty long too) but I split it into two instead. So, hopefully the next chapter will be a bit shorter and the next update will be a bit sooner this time.
> 
> Now, let's see L 'take action'...

“Or, to be more precise, Sayu will be moving here, with us. That way, Gevanni will be discharged from some of his duties…”

The room around L fell into death-like silence after Near’s deafening announcement.

So she would be moving in here…

They wouldn't be forced to simply tolerate her presence for a few hours at a time anymore, she would breathe down their necks twenty-four hours per day, a hundred-sixty-eight hours per week, seven hundred-twenty hours per month... When he had just barely come to terms with bearing her obnoxiousness four to five times per week.

Where would she even stay?

That was the most troublesome and horrifying question among the sea of questions that instantly started flooding L’s mind.

Would Near share his floor with her or would she be given her own space?

Despite the need of L’s conscience to indulge the second possibility just to appease his unwanted, yet rapidly growing nervousness, the more calculating part of him half-heartedly acknowledged that the first possibility had a 92% chance of happening. Maybe even more.

And if they did share an apartment, does that mean they would have to share… (L swallowed a gulp of saliva he hadn’t realised he was keeping in his mouth) a bedroom as well?

Odd as it might sound, it was the very first he was considering this. He was aware that Near was an ‘item’ with Sayu now, in the vaguest possible way he could be aware of it, but the more practical meaning of the word never occurred to him. Probably because each time he saw them being in the same room he went through a different form of denial. Because he wanted to remain blissfully unaware of the more 'juicy' protocols that came with this relationship. And so he had banished the whole idea from his brain.

The mere mental image of them touching at all is deeply unsettling at best.

The image of them exchanging kisses and caresses of the more passionate, less controlled kind, eventually cutting to the main part of the activity and connecting their bodies together, is stomach-turning, sickness-inducing, absolutely revolting.

Multiple shudders slither up L’s spine as he tries to will the picture out of his mind’s eye, and his mouth tastes hideously, like a juice made from all sorts of vegetables, despite the strawberry cake he had previously consumed. The room suddenly goes freezing cold, as if it imitates Near’s attitude towards him. He feels sick. His head especially, feels like it has dozens of tiny needles pinned to it.

His surroundings slowly shift in a prismatic blur as the toneless, dim colours transform into warmer and more energetic ones. _He’s no longer in that cold room with the glass table and the unfamiliar people filling its seats, but he has somehow returned to the warmth of his private room at Wammy’s House._

_Before Near, he treated that room indifferently. There was nothing that connected him to it and he hardly ever stayed in there, since he spent most of his visit at Wammy’s in his office. But after Near, there came the need for more privacy and the mostly unused room could offer them exactly that. And eventually, before fully realising it, the room had even grown on him a little._

_L is lying back on the bed and Near is lounged on top of him. The position is not that comfortable for L’s back, but the small boy’s weight on his chest and abdomen is too pleasant to push him off._

_“You don’t want me”. Near had once declared solemnly, with a frown shadowing his childlike face._

_Not too long ago, as they had been fooling around with each other – innocently for the most part – Near made the request for them to 'embrace the natural progression’ of their relationship. It was the second time he brought this matter up. The first time had been almost a year ago, when Near was eleven. L deduced that the origins of this desire lay in the hormones of adolescence slowly making their appearance._

_While it was true that the boy’s body had developed in the last two years it still was undeniably not mature enough to handle sexual activity. And this was one of the times in L’s life that he decided it was not worth taking a risk._

_After the request was voiced, the detective didn’t give an immediate answer. Instead, he resumed their kissing, aiming at not giving Near enough time to inquire about his lack of reply yet. The kisses distributed around the small genius’ face were eventually eased down, becoming softer and softer as they came to_ _a smooth halt, and L fell back on the heap of pillows, taking his younger partner down with him._

_“Not yet”._

_It was then that Near made his declaration._

_“I don’t want you getting hurt. There is a difference”._

_L thought the matter to be brought to a close, as there were several moments of silence between them, and Near was outlining invisible patterns on his shirt, almost sleepily, but his estimation was wrong. “If not now, then when?”_

_He sighed noiselessly and set his successor down on the bed, next to him. He then turned his body sideways, to be able to face Near. “How about we agree on a certain date?” Even before initiating this compromise, L knew very well he’d be considered, at the very least, mentally unstable by everyone who learned of this for trying to make negotiations with a child on this subject. The fact that Near didn’t have the more limited understanding of the average twelve-year-old didn’t alleviate him as much as he would have wanted it to._

_“It sounds reasonable enough”. The boy nodded, twirling a tuft of ivory hair._

_“I think your 18 th birthday is a good enough date”._

_Near sent him a mild glare. “L, that’s in six years from now”._

_“Yes”._

_“I disagree. Six years is too long”._

_Knowing he’d most likely regret it, L said: “Why don’t you propose a date then?”_

_“Very well”. He appeared pleased to play the decisive factor. “The day I turn fourteen”._

_L almost cringed at the thought. Still too young. “Seventeen”._

_“Fifteen”._

_“Sixteen. It’s the last discount I can offer”._

_The child exhaled and lay back on the pillows more comfortably. “Fair enough. Sixteen it is”._

_“L, are you alright?”_

_Just a moment,_ that couldn’t be a part of that dialogue…

The warmth of the room and the fondness of the memory abandoned him in mere seconds as he returned to that hostile environment. The rest of the seats surrounding the crystal-clear table had been emptied. How long has he been day-dreaming?

Near was the one who had addressed him the question that cut his flashback short, and was now standing next to him.

These flashbacks are getting worse and worse with each passing day. At first they had only been exclusive in-between his few sleep hours. But now they expanded during the day too. As if they hadn’t already been troublesome enough before…

“Of course”. He answered. “Just contemplating”. L hopped off his chair and walked towards the exit with his back turned to Near. “I’ll be awaiting for Sayu’s arrival”.

This is too much.

He let his lack of motivation take a toll on him, allowing her to make her move and to manipulate Near into her staying with them. During the one month he has been resurrected, L has been doing nothing but observing them, just as he would have if he’d been a ghost. But it’s high time that changed.

He won’t stand for her exploiting Near any longer.

Even if he does not return things to their original condition, it’s extremely obvious that his successor does not deserve such a fate.

And most importantly, if another image of her touching Near in an erotic way manages to creep its way in L’s mind, he’s positive he’s going to vomit.

Walking fast, he quickly arrived at Lidner’s office. Each of the members of the team has their own space, in case they need more privacy to work more efficiently or they have to take a small break. He entered without knocking beforehand (even though it was something he generally disliked doing) and spotted the female agent sitting on her desk, comparing a couple of photos from a crime scene.

“Lidner, please come with me”.

“But Near told me to…-”

“Now”.

With a subtle roll of her eyes, the tall woman got up and followed him. L led them to the Security Room, because it was the only room in the building that wasn’t monitored by cameras. He opened a drawer, pulled out a heavy phone catalogue and slammed it on the table in front of the screens. “Please find me the number of the Yagamis”.

She looked at him questioningly, as if asking him whether he's serious or not. "Is that why you wanted me to come with you so badly?”

“Yes. Now please hurry. Not all of us have time to waste”.

Lidner huffed in displeasure but flipped through the thin pages of the catalogue nonetheless. After a few seconds, she tossed the heavy book towards L's side of the table and crossed her arms. “There you go. Is that all?”

“No. Please stand by”. L said as he fished out the cellphone he only recently had acquired from his jeans’ pocket. After making sure his number would be concealed as he called, he typed in the number of the house of the Yagamis.

“Can’t you type like a normal person?” Lidner remarked at his preferred way of typing.

“Can’t you be quiet for a second?” That silenced her. For a while at least.

After six rings, the phone was picked up. “Hello?” A familiar male voice came on.

Damn it. L had wanted Sachiko Yagami, not Kira.

“Light-kun, could I please talk to your mother?” He wanted to waste the least time possible speaking to Light. There was no point in trying to hide his identity. Light would recognise his voice immediately, just as L recognised his.

“Sorry”. Was the amused response. “My mom doesn’t talk to kiddy diddlers. Have an awful day”.

After remaining frozen on the spot for just a bit over three seconds, trying to process the misplaced insult that was directed at him, L lowered the cellphone from his ear in slow rage.

He hung up… Just like that… How dare he? That arrogant little wannabe-God has the emotional maturity of a five-year-old…

L suspects, he'll be guarding the phone like a Cerberus, now that he knows L wants to get in contact with Sachiko Yagami. He expects L to call again, so that he can answer the phone and mock him again. But L will not do what Kira wants him to do.

He has thought of a strategy far more effective.

There is no point in trying to track down Sachiko Yagami’s personal number, because he can’t do it without Near learning about it eventually. Therefore…

“Lidner…-”

“Let me guess. You want me to drive you to their house”.

The best detective of the century always had a soft spot for women who didn’t ask unnecessary questions. Or people, in general. (Naomi Misora had been that kind of person.)

Halle was physically far more beautiful than Sayu was. Lidner stood at the impressive height of five feet and nine inches, had shoulder-length pale blonde hair and icy-blue eyes. On the whole, not ugly at all. A little older than Near, that’s for sure, but L didn’t mind that. It would be hypocritical of him to criticize age difference, among all things. Besides, Lidner was actually born the same year as him.

(Not that he’d ever admit that to anyone. He looked much younger than her, after all.)

Perhaps L wouldn’t have been this troubled if it was Lidner the one Near was in a relationship with. She was decently intelligent, unlike some other brown-haired nuisance that caused him a migraine every time he had to talk to her.

And the greatest benefit of Lidner was, L could fire her at any given time, leaving him and Near to settle the situation peacefully by themselves.

But he couldn’t fire Sayu. Nor could he impose any kind of punishment on her.

And the thought that he currently had absolutely no power over the thorn that prickled his chances of getting back his previous life maddened him.

Finally, after so many unfortunate events in such a short time, something went according to the original scheme. Sachiko Yagami opened the door. “Oh my! Ryuuzaki-san! I wasn’t expecting you!”

“Pardon me for showing up uninvited for yet another time, but I really need us to talk”. L explained.

“Well, I was actually about to go for grocery shopping, but…-”

“I shall accompany you then. And we can talk later. I wouldn’t want to ruin your schedule, Yagami-san”.

“But it might take too long. I don’t want to tire you…”

“Nonsense. A little bit of shopping won’t kill me”.

“Are you sure?” She asked again.

“Absolutely. Actually, I have to do some shopping of my own too”.

She flashed a wide, kind smile that reminded him a whole awful lot of her daughter’s youthful grin. He didn’t like it. “If you say so! Then let me grab my coat and we’ll be off. Come in if you’d like”. She backed off and disappeared in the interior of the house.

L stepped in a corner and closed the door, waiting for the woman’s return.

Not even a second later, Light Yagami strode out of the living room, holding a bag of potato chips. It didn't take him long to notice L, no matter how much the detective shrank back to the wall. Not out of fear, but out of unwillingness to have another pointless interaction.

"Well, look who's here!" Light exclaimed in a sing-song voice once he swallowed. His voice was laced with irony and he circled around L like a predator toying with its prey. “So? Found any kids to smash lately?”

L ignored the cheap insult, containing a growl deep inside his throat and gazed around the house emptily.

He knew Light would be frustrated by the lack of attention, which became immediately apparent. “What do you want?” He asked in a now grumpy and bored tone. “I hope you’re not here to talk my mom into breaking Sayu and that poor copy of yours apart. Because that’s not happening”.

He ignored the insult aimed at Near too. Starting a fight now wouldn’t be the smartest of moves. “We’ll see about that”.

Footsteps were heard from the hallway and Light threw the bag of potato chips in a drawer, shutting it with an impressive speed. "Alright Ryuuzaki-san, I'm ready. Ah, Light, I'm going grocery shopping with Ryuuzaki-san. I'll be back in an hour or two".

Tapping into acting skills only a world-renowned actor could possess, Kira supported his forehead on the palm of his hand and staggered slightly forwards towards his mother. “…Mom…I’m not feeling very well…” His voice became weak and dazed in a second.

“Light! Oh, Goodness, Light, are you coming down with something?” She touched his cold forehead, but still fell for the act, like the gullible mother she was.

“…I don’t know… I feel… dizzy…” Light fell elegantly on the floor, in an exaggerated act of passing out.

“Light! Ryuuzaki-san, please help me move him to the living room!”

L’s deadly stare pierced through the murderer’s seemingly unconscious body. “Of course”.

At least Light wasn’t that heavy. They easily lay the sleeping beauty on the couch and the panicked mother was instantly keen on calling a doctor.

L caught her wrist gently to calm her down a little. “Yagami-san, a good friend of mine happens to be a doctor. How about I call her?”

“If it’s not too much trouble for you… I would appreciate it very much”.

“Not at all”.

Finding a specific contact among dozens of contacts in a phone is never an easy feat when one is in a hurry. L’s eyes scanned over the screen multiple times before finally finding Lidner.

She picked up after four rings. “Is it time for me to come and get you?”

L only hoped she would understand his plan. He made sure Sachiko was listening before talking. “Halle? Oh, I’m so very glad you picked up! I’m terribly sorry to bother you but my friend Light, here, has passed out and I was wondering if you could come and check on him, since you’re the only doctor I trust”.

“So, let me get this straight. You want me to pretend I’m a doctor for you”.

Finally! Someone who knows how to recognize a hidden message. “Oh, yes! Both his mother and I are very worried. Will you be able to come?”

“At the Yagami house, right?”

“Yes, the address, of course”. L told her the address, even though Lidner already knew it very well. “We’ll be expecting you”.

Sachiko looked at him expectantly, waiting for the news. “Halle is on her way”. He assured her.

Her shoulders appeared less tense at once. "Thank you very much Ryuuzaki-san. I owe you". (…Fascinating…) "And I'm sorry for causing all of this commotion, but… I'm very worried about Light. I wouldn't want to lose him again…"

He unwillingly touched her shoulder, intending to inspire trust. "I understand perfectly, Yagami-san. I wouldn't know what to do if I were to lose Nathan either".

“You can call me Sachiko, Ryuuzaki-san”.

The very first promising development in a long time…

“And I suppose you can just call me Ryuuzaki, Sachiko”.

It didn’t take long for Lidner to get there.

“Good morning. Ryuuzaki told me your son isn’t feeling very well”. Lidner said after they both opened the door.

“Oh, yes! He’s passed out at the moment”.

Lidner stepped inside and took off her shoes. "I'm Halle Miller. You must be Mrs Yagami, right?"

“Yes. Pleased to meet you, doctor”. They exchanged a handshake.

“The pleasure is all mine. Now, where is your son?”

They guided her to the living room. Honestly, Lidner isn’t doing such a bad job at playing this game so far. It justifies Near’s decision to delegate spying to her. She even made a good excuse about not carrying her medical tools with her.

After some very surface-level examination she performed on Light, she came to her conclusion. “He seems to be fine. When was the last time he ate?”

“This morning at about eight o’clock”. Sachiko answered.

“Hmm…” Lidner pretended to be thoughtful. “Could I please have a glass of water?”

“Of course!” The other woman ran to the kitchen.

"You're very lucky one of my exes is a doctor”. Lidner whispered to L. 

L just slightly moved his lips, forming something that couldn’t be described as a smile yet. He knew he was right in favouring Lidner over the other three. Rester might have been nervous, or have appeared unnatural. The same goes for Stephen, he just seemed overly emotional. The option of Roger was not even debatable.

The blond took the glass offered to her and got closer over to where Light was pretending to have fainted. She raised the glass as if she was getting ready for a toast… and spilt the water all over his face. L wished he was the one in Lidner's place but he was satisfied all the same. He even had to force back a full smile and a chuckle.

Light's head shook violently, and droplets fell everywhere around him. His black button-up shirt got wet too, something L knew, he despised. "Wha-what happened?" He asked as he looked around. If someone didn't know Light as well as L did, they might have believed he had really lost consciousness.

“Light!” His mother rushed to his side.

"Don't worry, he's fine". Lidner spoke triumphantly. Apparently, she had enjoyed tossing water on Kira's face on a personal level too. "His blood sugar was a bit low, is all. He should eat more sweets from time to time".

“That is very true”. L interfered smugly, but not in a way that was obvious to Sachiko. “Light-kun should provide his organism with more sugar”.

In response, Kira just glared at him, as his mother led Lidner towards the exit, while constantly asking ‘if her son was alright’. “She’s no real doctor”. He hissed, sitting up on his elbows. “She’s just one of your brat’s pets”.

Ignoring the tactless term used to refer to Near, L said: “You never truly lost consciousness either. I’d say she was the best doctor for your case”.

“Tell me L: why do you insist on breaking Sayu and Near apart so much? Is it so he can be all yours and you can start ravishing him again?” L wasn’t completely prepared to retaliate this, so Light continued. “No, I’m genuinely curious. I mean, he’s…what now? Eighteen? Nineteen? I guess he still kinda looks like a kid, since that’s your thing, but…-”

“Why do you want to get your hands on a Death Note so badly again? So you can be a whiny, overconfident murderer who desperately wants to be God but is bound to remain a pathetic human? I'm earnestly curious. Wasn't your failed first attempt enough to prove that you are not even close to being a God? In fact, you couldn’t possibly be farther from it”.

That definitely struck a nerve, because he was practically radiating anger from his body. “How dare you compare…-”

Sachiko Yagami entered the living room and he stopped at once. “Light, I see you’re better. Maybe it was just an indisposition, after all. But don’t worry, I’ll buy you something sweet so you can feel better!”

The façade was immediately continued from where it had been left off. “Thank you, mom”. He lay back tiredly.

“Although, you seem a lot better to me now”. She touched his forehead again.

“I guess…Ryuuzaki helps…” He said in an unconvincing tone as he stared daggers at L.

“Will you be alright while I go out?”

“…I think so”.

Light officially lost this battle. L would talk to Sachiko Yagami about the fate of their (for lack of a better word) 'children's' relationship.

L: 1 Kira:0

L concluded something inarguable that day: grocery shopping was _boring_. They just walked around aimlessly in the aisles of different stores until Sachiko Yagami finally found the most economic product. At the end of their long, long journey he was 95% sure the soles of his shoes had melted. He knew there was a very good reason he sent Watari to buy him sweets.

Nonetheless, he didn’t complain and was careful to keep a relatively easy-going expression.

During their wandering around she persisted on them having small, pointless conversations for just about everything. About their surroundings, the people passing by, about the products and about their prices. L had never felt so bored in his life. If it weren’t for his ulterior motive for coming here, he would have fallen asleep a long time ago.

And because of the excuse he had used earlier, he had to buy something too. So L led them to a pastry shop. At least that was somewhat pleasant.

After what felt about two centuries, Sachiko decided she was done with her shopping and proposed that they settled somewhere, to discuss more comfortably. L, like the gentleman he wanted to appear to be, carried most of her bags to the coffee shop, despite her claiming she could manage them on her own.

“So, Ryuuzaki, what was it that you wanted us to talk about?” She asked after a small waitress had taken their order.

L wanted to have the best results he could get, so he forced himself to sit normally in the chair. He had already mentally explored the possible directions of the dialogue previously, so there wasn’t much to think about anyway. Despite that, sitting with both legs on the floor still felt…unnatural. “I just wanted us to discuss about Sayu and Nathan a little”. (It hurt his tongue in a bitter sort of way to say her name first.) “Just a small talk between…parents”.

“Oh, I see. Of course. Well, where should we start? They seem to love each other very much…And Nathan is so polite and considerate! I must congratulate you on the way you raised him!”

_“I didn’t raise him but thank you nonetheless…”_

“Truth be told, I was oftentimes absent from home, it wasn’t something I could control, so Nathan is actually very independent. And I’m proud of him about that. Your daughter also seems like a very kind person, just like yourself”. The woman across him ate the compliment up immediately and a pink spot appeared on each of her cheeks. “She is just the sort of person I hoped Nathan would find in his life". There hadn't been a need to tell so many lies at once since the time of the Kira Case.

They were briefly interrupted by the waitress again. She placed L’s milkshake and Sachiko’s coffee on the table, they paid her and she left. L offered to pay for the both of them but she refused decisively.

“You are right”. L continued. “They appear to…love each other very much…” This could have come out more organically… “However, I have to confess there is one aspect of their relationship I am not entirely certain about”.

She was alarmed at this. She put down her cup and focused completely on L. “And what is that?”

“Nathan must have told you that because of our work schedule, we travel a lot”.

“Sayu has told me that he’s the manager of a company and that he’s often abroad, yes”.

Near might have shown little to no willingness to communicate with him in general, but at least he wanted them to tell the same lies to Sachiko Yagami. The fourth day of his return, Near invited him to a Playroom and explained every lie he has told to third parties so far, while he built a city out of colourful rectangle-shaped blocks. L soon realised that the plastic city was supposed to represent Tokyo.

Where Sachiko Yagami is concerned, he told her he is the owner of a company in England, which he inherited from his adoptive father. Near also actually bought a small company in Manchester, just in case he was asked for proof, and crafted a handful of fake contracts to fit with his telling.

“Both Sayu and Nathan are very young. I am not sure whether such young people will be able to sustain a long-distance relationship. I don't know if Sayu will have the strength to put up with Nathan’s schedule and his constant trips”.

“But Ryuuzaki, they are engaged”. It was a painful detail to be reminded of. In the end, L hadn’t been able to prevent that. “Surely, they are willing to tolerate the hardships that come with this kind of relationship if they’re that serious about each other”.

“Let us be honest here, Sachiko. It hasn’t been that long since they have entered adulthood. They are practically still teens – children. I have my fair doubts that they are capable of making the necessary sacrifices to keep such a relationship alive”.

“I… I’m afraid I don’t exactly understand where you’re going with this…”

_“And it’s best if you never understand where I’m truly going with it…”_

“My point is, that I don’t want either of them getting hurt because of the difficulties they are bound to face. They are at such a fragile age, after all”.

“I see. It’s completely reasonable for you to worry as a parent, Ryuuzaki. But if we want them to last, it’s us who should believe in them first”.

This isn’t exactly going in the desired direction… L will only make a few more attempts and then abandon this plan. It’s not leading anywhere.

“Such… wise words you have just said…” He mused aloud. “May I confess something to you, Sachiko?”

“Of course you may!” She replied cheerfully.

“But you’ll have to promise not to tell Nathan about it”.

This took her two to three seconds to consider. “I won’t”.

“Sayu is actually…Nathan's first-ever relationship. Because of certain circumstances, I ended up raising Nathan in a very sheltered manner. It’s something I now wish I could have done differently. That’s why I am so worried. I wouldn’t want him to act rush and scar himself”.

“I can understand your worry. Realising your child is becoming an adult and accepting that someday you’ll have to let go of them is never easy. I’ve had the same problem with Light. But I do believe you should loosen up a little on that matter, Ryuuzaki. You should let Nathan make his own decisions. He’s never going to learn otherwise. I mean, you can’t really look after him forever, can you?”

“…No, I suppose not. Although I am not a particularly big fan of the ‘trial and error’ mentality in life”. He took another sip from his milkshake. He needed to plant the seed of doubt about Near and her daughter’s relationship in her mind… But she seemed just as in love with Near as her descendant was. Even so, maybe he could extract some information out of her, so that this meeting wouldn’t be classified as a complete waste of time. “Say, Sachiko, from what I’ve gathered, I think you and Sayu share a very close family bond”.

“Well…I guess you could say that… I’m closer to her than I am to Light. He’s always been a bit more distant with both me and his father. But it’s different with Sayu. I like to think she shares a lot of her experiences with me”.

How very convenient…

“I envy that”. L admitted. “Nathan mostly keeps to himself. He rarely entrusts something important to me…” He sighed for emphasis.

“I think that has more to do with the fact that Nathan is generally a closed character. You’re not a bad parent because of it”. Her face looked sympathetic.

“…Maybe you are right. But there is one thing I must ask you. You are free not to answer, of course. It’s just that… I really need to know”. L looked down at his feet for a moment.

“Ask away. I’ll do my best to answer!” Her smile was encouraging.

“I beg you not to think any less of me because of this, but I think you’ll understand. After all, you must have faced the same problems in the past, with Light”.

“I could never think any less of you, Ryuuzaki!”

Perfect.

He made it seem like he was hesitating to ask. "…Has Sayu ever happened to tell you whether they've…ah, how to put this? Whether they've made…progress, in their relationship?"

She giggled politely. "Oh, I see". He could hear and feel each and every contraction and dilation his heart made in his chest as he waited for her reply. "Well, Sayu has told me that she thinks about soon proposing it to Nathan, but, for now, I don't think they've actually done anything…more serious".

L sat back on his chair and exhaled in pure relief. He was not too late after all…

"To be honest, I am a little…traditional on some topics. For instance, I do believe it is better for such pleasures to be savoured for after the marriage, but if Nathan was happy with it I would have accepted his decision. In any case, thank you very much, Sachiko”.

“You’re welcome! Even though I hardly did anything…!” She smiled again.

“And I would also appreciate it if this stayed between us”.

The middle-aged woman pretended to zip her lips like a zipper and winked at him. "It's reasonable for you to be sceptical, since they haven't been seeing each other for that long, but they make quite a nice couple. Don't you think?"

L barely managed not to choke with his milkshake. He licked his dry lips. “…Absolutely”.

The day after was one of their stupid ‘date nights’. After his mostly unprofitable meeting with Sachiko Yagami, L knew he had to become more drastic. So his goal for tonight would be to destroy their weekly romantic escape.

Their routine on those occasions usually went like this: Sayu would to the Headquarters and wait until Near was done with any last business he might have. Then, they would leave the building with Gevanni, and L… had no idea where they were off to. (Where do you take someone as _brilliant_ as her?) And he never managed to get an answer out of Stephen either. The man was more loyal to Near than a dog.

Things tonight didn’t play out that much different.

The moment Stephen was sent to fetch her, L excused himself, grabbed his lollipop and waited in the Security Room. Near stared at him for a few seconds as he left but stayed quiet.

Giddiness emitted off her when she arrived and it became even more evident when she approached Near. She crossed the distance between them by almost bouncing instead of walking and practically threw herself in Near’s arms (who was still sitting, mind you). That resulted in her sitting on his lap and in L’s back teeth brutally crushing the sky-blue lollipop.

She had no problem with kissing an unprepared Near straight to the mouth. Now, it could be said that, objectively, Near did reciprocate the kiss and it was what puzzled L the most.

The boy's behaviour wasn't simply odd, it was inconceivable. It had seemed off since the first second L lay eyes on him in the living room of the Yagamis. 

Something had intervened during the time he was dead and he needed to know what it was.

Unfortunately, the only way to learn about what may have taken place, is to ask Roger. It was his duty to announce his death to Near and to look after him once he took on the Kira Case.

The problem was, Roger didn't like L all that much. If it wasn't for a favour he owned to his old friend Quillsh, he wouldn't even have accepted to become the manager of Wammy's House. From the first moment Watari introduced them to each other, he had looked at L as if he were the dirt under his old-fashioned shoes. He disliked L from his unique mannerisms to his grey methods for solving cases, and later, to his relationship with Near.

Not that the feeling wasn't mutual, of course. L held little to no respect for Roger's mouldy beliefs and overall conservative mentality, but now the old man might actually be of use to him.

“Ready for date night?” Sayu Yagami asked onscreen. She wore a smile so wide it could rip her face apart.

“…Yes, I suppose”. Near said.

That was L’s signal to act. He left the chair spinning as he jumped off of it and threw the remains of the lollipop in the trash can.

He went into the Investigation Room without knocking, quickening his walking pace as he entered. “Near, there has been…-” He pretended to only now notice her. (In the meantime, she had fortunately removed herself from Near’s lap.) “Oh, my, if it isn’t Sayu-chan! The two of you wouldn’t happen to be about to leave, would you?” He forced a small grin on his face.

“Good evening, L-san!” She chirped. “Well, we were planning to go on a date, but…-”

“What is it, L?” Near asked bluntly.

“There is a new case that requires our attention. The president of the FBI said L’s assistance is imperative”. It was true. The first call from the president had come in the afternoon, and L made sure not to notify Near about it, by making his computer the only one able to receive calls and messages from the FBI for the day.

The first attempt of the president to contact L was followed by seventeen more calls, but L himself thought he could wait for a few hours.

Near didn’t look, or sound pleased. “What do they need L’s help for?”

L, instead of answering, rested his hands on Sayu's shoulders. "I'm incredibly sorry, Sayu-chan…" He said as he was already leading her to the door. "…but this is strictly confidential information. I'm sure you understand".

“Oh, of course”.

“Lidner should be downstairs. She’ll keep you company”.

There was something naturally satisfying about the way he almost pushed her out of the room and then closed the door immediately after. It had a similar feeling to taking out the trash, even though L has never performed such a common act in his life. But he has a hunch that this is what it must feel like.

“That was rather unnecessary”. Near commented.

"I'll have to disagree". 

“I trust Sayu enough to let her know the basic information on a case”.

However that may have stung, L took a breath and let it pass them by. “Let’s not have this conversation now. Instead, wouldn’t you like to learn about the emergency?”

“Not particularly. But try to be brief”.

"The president's son has been kidnapped. He wants us to find the kidnappers and tell the FBI where to search for them. From what I suspect it's probably a standard case of blackmailing for ransom".

“If it’s that simple, why don’t you solve it yourself?”

“I might not be able to make it on time on my own”.

“But the victim is only one. According to your standards, it isn’t that big a loss”.

Near's words caught him off guard, and it wasn't every day that someone's words could to that to L. He knew what his standards were, but Near has been playing this role for almost six years now, counting the Kira Case. How had he become so detached from human lives in such a short time?

L didn't know if he should be proud or if he should worry.

“That standard can be overlooked if the case picks my interest. And this one does”.

The other gazed around the room in an unfocused manner as he furiously twisted his hair. “…I’ll tell Gevanni to transfer Sayu to her home”.

Well, that was rather easy.

L wondered why he hadn’t tried it before.

They had to work all night to pinpoint the exact location of the kidnappers. After reviewing the footage from the security cameras in the neighbourhood multiple times, they spotted a tiny piece of paper falling from the pocket of one of the three masked men. The agents investigating the crime scene identified it as a train ticket.

These kidnappers weren’t even careful. As a case, it was pretty boring and time-consuming. Not an ideal combination.

But it was a way to spend time with Near and that made up for most of the kidnappers’ goofy nature.

At some point, while L was taking a look at the passenger list of the trains that had left for Maine that afternoon, he noticed Near slightly leaning to the palm of his hand, while trying to stifle a yawn.

He got up and said he'd bring them a cup of coffee, since they had dismissed the others for the day hours ago. Near merely nodded, seeming too tired to respond verbally.

Given that it was now 3:38 AM and they have been working since 9 PM, it was reasonable. Just as L had predicted, Near didn’t turn out to be an insomniac like him.

Preparing coffee was easier than he remembered it to be the other two times he had attempted to make coffee by himself. He was slowly getting the hang of it and he was quite satisfied.

By the time he had returned, Near was using the freshly-printed documents from the agents as a pillow. L couldn’t suppress a tiny smile, as the picture brought back memories.

He set the cups down and took care of the last details of the case by himself. He sent a message with his final deductions to the president instead of calling him, because Near was usually a very light sleeper.

Once he received the president’s response – in which he thanked L more warmly than necessary and he assured him his payment would be in his bank account in a few minutes – he began to wonder what he should do with Near.

Should he just leave him be?

The hunched-over position on the desk didn’t seem too good for his back, or the rest of his body.

Should he carry him to his floor, or at least, to a couch?

There was no way Near wouldn’t wake up. And he wouldn’t be very pleased to find out L was carrying him.

In the end, the detective settled for taking a comforter from a guest room and laying it gently on Near’s shoulders. There was a subtle urge to stroke his white hair, but L decided against it. He observed the sleeping form of his successor a little longer before quietly stepping out of the room.

Upon closing the door and turning around, he came face to face with the bulging, yellowy eyes and eerily sharp teeth of Ryuk. He flinched out of surprise, but didn't yelp, he just sighed.

“Shinigami-san, it’s impolite to scare people like that”.

“Aw, I was hoping you’d scream… Pity…” The demonic creature pouted in a child-like way, which made its face even more unnerving.

“Please don’t be so loud. Near might hear you”.

“Don’t worry. Only you and Light can see and hear me”.

That was comforting to know…

“I see. To what do I owe your presence here tonight?”

“I just wanted to tell you that you’re all doing great. We’re having a very good time”.

“Well then, I’m glad”. L said sarcastically. Had he really been reduced to nothing than a toy for the Gods of Death?

"And also, I came to tell you about... the bet".

“…The bet?”

“Yup”. Ryuk’s grin widened, if that was possible.

“What kind of bet?”

“Since no human has a Death Note now, the next entertaining thing to watch is the relationships between you. And because we like gambling so much, some of us started placing bets on who’s gonna win over Nate”.

At this point, L wasn’t really surprised. “I take it you have placed your bet on me, Ryuk-san”.

“I guess you’re not a detective for nothing. Armonia Justin, Zellogi, Calikarcha, Kinddara and Midora have betted on the Yagami girl. Nu, Gukku and I have betted on you”.

Not even the majority of the Gods of Death believed in him. No matter…

“And how come the three of you chose me?”

“Don’t get too cocky about it but you’re way more interesting than Light’s sister. Ah, and let me tell you before I go”. Ryuk craned his neck in a very awkward way, invading L’s personal space and staring at him intensely. “I wouldn’t lose if I were you”. He backed off. “If the team of the Yagami girl loses, they’ll be forced to fetch us apples from your world. I want those apples”.

“There is no need to worry, Shinigami-san”. L responded calmly, gaining confidence. Having someone on his side, even if they weren’t exactly people and they only sought to benefit themselves, didn’t feel that bad. “Your apples will be delivered to you safely. We are not going to lose”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally planned for this to be 5 chapters and now it's probably going to be at least 8 or 9.  
> Oops...!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I'm not very consistent with updates... This chapter is neither shorter, nor did it come out earlier than usual. But it was a little tricky to write because I couldn't decide on how I wanted the pacing to be.
> 
> Anyway, here's a small "warning" before you start: L gets meaner than usual. Not just to Sayu, but to others too.

“Sometimes, Nate, I’m just glad I found you”.

L had been more terrified the moment those words left Sayu’s mouth than he was of her eventually moving in with them. (They were planning for her to occupy the Headquarters permanently next Tuesday, in a week from now.) He was that taken aback by the name she chose to refer to Near as, he didn’t even hear his successor’s response to her confession.

There were only two ways for her to have learned his name.

She had either hacked into the database of Wammy’s House and looked through the students’ personal information, or… Near himself told her.

Both seemed extremely improbable at first glance.

Except L knew Sayu Yagami didn’t exactly have the best of relationships with modern technology. She could handle a cellphone just fine, but that was it. Most of the time she wanted to use a computer for something else other than its most basic functions, she needed someone to guide her.

But then again, he didn’t want to believe Near trusted her that much in order to reveal something of such vital importance to her.

L knew Near’s real name only because Watari had given him a file that contained similar classified information. He began to ponder whether or not Near would have told him on his own, if L didn’t know about it.

It was a stupid thought.

But of course he would have told him.

And there was no time for such thinking anyway. L had to start putting the second part of his plan into action.

It had started out as a simple analogy while he was internally pointing out Sayu’s flaws, but it had formed itself into a plan during an investigation.

He visited Lidner’s office once more to request her help. 

“Lidner, I need you to find me Matsuda Touta’s address”. (If one can call that a request.)

“Touta? Wasn’t he a part of the Task Force against Kira?”

“Yes”.

“Do you need his address specifically? I remember Near saying he wasn’t that bright…”

Of course, Near would agree with him on Matsuda’s limited intelligence. Why couldn’t they agree on Sayu too then?

“I don’t like repeating myself, Lidner”.

“Alright, alright. I’ll let you know when I’ve found it”.

“Thank you”.

A few minutes later he received a message from Lidner and they met up at her office. “There you go”. She said, passing him a sheet of paper with the address printed on it.

L took a quick look at it. “Good. Now, I want you to drive me there”.

She sighed and shook her head. “I should have known it wouldn’t be that easy…”

“You don’t like Sayu much, do you?” Lidner asked him on the way to Matsuda’s house.

He wasn’t surprised. As he’s admitted to himself in the past, Lidner is a decently intelligent woman. “Do _you_ like her?”

She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter whether I like her or not. My personal opinion isn’t gonna change Near’s life”.

“That wasn’t my question”.

“Look, at first I thought she’s a bit… I don’t know… too…normal for Near, but if they’re happy together then it’s none of my business”.

“…I suppose my feelings towards her are similar”.

Matsuda lived in an old, white apartment complex. The names of the building’s inhabitants at the doorbell signs had nearly been erased so L had some trouble finding Matsuda’s name among them.

“Hello?” He recognised that naïve voice from six years ago.

L tried to make his own voice sound younger and a little higher in pitch. "Excuse me, sir. I’m a student at To-oh University and I’m doing a research on criminal rate…”

“Oh, come in! I’m on the third floor”.

Matsuda…Always the one to help others, when most people would have slammed their door shut on a hypothetical student’s face…

L found his apartment and knocked on the door twice. “Coming!” Hurried footsteps approached and the door opened. Matsuda hadn’t really changed since the last time he saw him. His eyes still held that innocent glint of an inexperienced policeman, albeit he seemed somewhat more composed this time around. However, the image of his former boss standing at his doorstep stole that composure away from him in a matter of seconds. “…R-Ryuu…R-Ryuuzaki?” He stuttered.

“Yes, Matsuda-san, it is me. May I come in?”

His mouth opened and closed a few times, without making any sound, like a fish underwater, before he managed to speak again. “Y-you’re…” Was all he was able to say. His knees gave out and he fell on the floor, unconscious.

L exhaled in a dissatisfied way at Matsuda’s reaction. What else did he expect?

He made the step that separated him from the interior of the house and closed the door after he entered. He grabbed Matsuda from under the armpits and dragged his limp body to a couch. L then helped himself to the kitchen and started looking around in the cupboards for something that could wake Matsuda up.

The detective found a bottle of ammonia stored inside a cupboard along with a variety of other cleaning supplies. He wet a napkin with a few droplets of ammonia and held it under Matsuda’s nose.

The admittedly less intelligent of the two slowly regained his consciousness, mumbling a few incoherencies along the way. “Ugh…Wait a minute…” His impossibly wide eyes focused on L. “R-Ryuuzaki…you…”

“Matsuda-san, I believe we’ve already had that exchange”.

“But…but you’re dead! You can’t be here! Are you…are you here to haunt me, Ryuuzaki?”

L rubbed at his temple with his index finger. He was already sensing a headache coming. “I assure you I am very much alive, Matsuda-san. But if you must see for yourself, just for this once, you may touch me”. He extended his hand and Matsuda shakily traced the area from his fingers to his wrist.

"…I-impossible! Ryuuzaki, you're dead! I saw you die!"

He really didn’t want to recount everything to Matsuda. It was a much too complicated story for him. “I’ll explain everything to you, if you can do something for me without asking a lot of questions”.

“…Um…I’ll do what I can, I guess… Is this about a case?” Even Matsuda would be suspicious in a situation like this. His reluctance was justified.

“Not exactly. Matsuda-san, would you happen to know Sayu Yagami? Light’s sister?”

“…Well, yes… I know her…” L didn’t fail to notice the pink blush colouring the police officer’s face. He knew he was right in picking Matsuda. Only he could find Sayu Yagami genuinely attractive.

“On what level?”

“We’ve…um…we’ve talked a few times, once we went out in a café together… Why does this matter, Ryuuzaki?” His blush was getting more intense by the moment.

“I recall saying you weren’t allowed to ask many questions. Otherwise, I might not tell you how it is possible for me to be here”.

“This is blackmail!” Matsuda complained loudly.

Ignoring him, L proceeded to say: “You shall ask Sayu Yagami to go on a date with you. At the end of the date, you will kiss her. On the mouth, just to be clear”.

“Eeh?!” His blush darkened, turning into red. “Are you crazy, Ryuuzaki? How can I…-”

“Calm down, Matsuda-san. I did not ask for you to have sexual intercourse with her. Just to spend an hour or two in public with her. I can already see, the idea is not that unappealing to you”.

L’s scrutinizing frog-like gaze only resulted in the other man becoming more embarrassed. “…I-I…I just don’t understand…-”

“And you’ll remain ignorant about everything concerning my reappearance if you don’t help me with the execution of my plan”.

“…Okay. But how can I…-”

“I’m sure you’re familiar enough with her to ask her to spend some time in each other’s company”. Matsuda was just so predictable…

“As friends? But, Ryuuzaki, I thought…-”

L was starting to become exasperated. “Please, Matsuda-san, try to follow my train of thought”.

“It’s not like I’m not trying…”

After a lengthy and detailed explanation of the plan, Matsuda was ready to act. In short: Matsuda would go out on a date with Sayu, they would have coffee at a specific coffee shop, so that L would be able to watch them, and at the end of the date, Matsuda would kiss her. It was important for L to observe her reaction at being courted by another man.

If she responded positively to Matsuda’s advances, he could continue with this plan to damage their relationship from the inside. Near would begin to lose the trust he so faithfully claimed to have placed on her and she would end up with the person that truly deserved her. It would be a win for both sides.

The phone call between Matsuda and Sayu went well. She agreed to meet him unhesitatingly, in a cheery voice.

“Well-done”. L told him after they hang up. “Now comes the more serious part of the plan”.

“I still don’t know…-”

“All in due time, Matsuda-san. I want you to wear your best suit for this”.

Naturally, L never had the intention of explaining anything to him.

L had never expected watching two idiots discussing to be something spectacular, but this was just torturously boring. They discussed about everything he imagined they would discuss: about the weather, their personal situations regarding their studies and their careers, their families, about animals and pets and many other subjects L wasn’t even able to retain after a few seconds. He regretted giving Matsuda that earpiece.

“So, what are you planning?” Ryuk’s raspy voice startled him unpleasantly. The God of Death hovered casually above the other end of the table of the café L had chosen to watch them from. It was right across the place they were sitting, but L observed them from the balcony, to avoid being spotted at first glance.

“This is but a test drive, Shinigami-san. We have yet to reach the part of the actual plan”. He replied in a low monotone.

“Ugh…Can’t you speed it up a little?”

“I’m afraid not. Patience is a necessary trait when it comes to good planning”.

“…Fiiiiine…Are you sure we’re going to win like that?”

“…How exactly is our victory or defeat determined in that bet of yours, by the way?”

“If you manage to shoo the Yagami girl away, we win. If they marry, you lose”.

With that in mind, L continued his observation. Matsuda seemed to be doing fine until now. Sayu was giggling like a school-girl at his attempts at being funny and it looked like she was enjoying herself. 

It was time for the kiss.

Matsuda nervously shifted his seat towards hers and gripped her shoulders. He very awkwardly leaned in, clinking their mouths together, his face a blushing mess.

L remembered his and Near’s first kiss coming out more naturally.

And that was saying something.

Unfortunately, Sayu jerked away from his grasp and ended their quite brief kiss prematurely by slapping Matsuda on the cheek. As much as L took pleasure in seeing his former employee being slapped, this wasn't how he had wanted Sayu to react. He had hoped she would be a little more unfaithful.

“…U-uh, Matsuda-san! I-I’m sorry but…you…” She stammered.

“N-no, Sayu-chan, t-the fault is all mine! I shouldn’t have…I-it’s just that…y-you’re very precious to me…! Wh-what I mean…i-is that…” He gulped audibly. “…I really like you, Sayu-chan…!”

The clumsy confession took her by surprise. “Matsuda-san! Um…you’re very sweet and kind but…there is someone else in my life. And we actually have a serious relationship…”

That was all L needed to hear. He had no intention of hearing Matsuda’s heartbroken voice, so he took his earpiece off and threw it in his left pocket. He might need it again. Who knows...

He called Lidner to pick him up and left the café. Upon setting foot on the pavement outside, he noticed an amused Ryuk flying off to the horizon.

Now all he had to learn was whether she’d tell Near about today’s little incident or not.

One thing was certain though: he'd have to invent another alternative to get rid of her.

She came to them a little later that evening. By the time she arrived, L had already moved to the Security Room, and was monitoring their conversation as they walked to Near’s floor.

He could smell Sayu’s anxiousness even if he wasn’t in the room with them and he knew Near could too, although he didn’t delve into it.

They started off with the preliminaries – they were a necessary part of a conversation to her, it seemed.

All the while she was toying with the edges of her sleeves and she constantly crossed and uncrossed her legs. L would bet she was sweating on the back of her neck too.

"Something has happened, hasn't it?" Near finally asked, interrupting her.

L bit his thumb and leaned closer to the screen, keen on inspecting her answer.

She stared at the floor. “…Sort of…I wanted to tell you about it too”.

Near’s head tilted slightly sideways and he waited for her response, just like L. “I’m listening”.

“You…you remember Matsuda-san, right?”

“Touta Matsuda. From the original Task Force against Kira. Yes”.

“…Well, today he asked me to go out with him. You know that we’ve been keeping contact until now. And I agreed, because I see him like a friend”. She paused. “But Matsuda-san doesn’t feel the same way as I do for him”. Near tilted his head more, urging her to carry on. “…He…he kissed me, Nate. And confessed to me”.

(Again with the unnecessary use of his real name… She shouldn’t have been calling him Near in the first place, let alone Nate…)

Near appeared very disorientated by these last two statements. He was unsure of how to react. He tangled a finger in his white locks and looked at her wide-eyed, yet emptily. “…Oh”.

“Aren’t you angry?”

“I do not need to be angry over something as trivial as the actions of someone like Matsuda. All that concerns me is your feelings towards this”.

Near being this unaffected by her story could have two possible meanings: he either trusted her so much that he was willing to forgive any mistake she would make, or… he didn’t care enough about her for this to evoke jealousy.

They kissed.

Over the course of the next two months, L changed his tactic. Seeing as he didn’t benefit from involving third parties, he attempted a little more direct approach.

She moved in with them just two weeks after the failed matchmaking with Matsuda and L didn’t try to hide his distaste. Having to see her daily wasn’t so dissimilar from someone pouring salt instead of sugar on his sweets. The idea was that feeling unwanted might discourage her. It didn't matter if his behaviour as a whole seemed consistent to her or not.

L has called off four of their dates in the time span of two months, mostly by using the excuse of detective work, like the first time. He had meant to call off more than just four, but Near was impossible to persuade to cancel the rest of them. His most common response would be to tell L that ‘he could manage by himself’ and that ‘it shouldn’t be a problem for him’ and then he just let Sayu drag him to the car, her arm wrapped around his elbow.

In the meantime, the more honest he was with Sayu, the less she liked him.

It started with a sweet she had prepared for him, hoping to ease the tense atmosphere she believed surrounded them. The sweet in question was an apple pie, to be exact.

“It was very delicious, Sayu-chan. I must congratulate you. However, I do think that the base was a little dry”. L told her after Near had left them alone. Rester had asked for his help with a technical issue. “And the ingredients you used may not have been as fresh…Oh well…Perhaps you could consult Near for such small details as these in the future”.

The confusion on her face was simply priceless. “…Near can make sweets? I didn’t know…he never told me…”

Of course, how would she know that Near had taken baking classes back at Wammy’s just to make L a cake for his birthday? How could she know? 

“It’s sad, but one might never have the chance to truly know everything about their partner”. He had commented indifferently, taking a sip from his tea.

Day by day the remarks got progressively more severe. She started to eye him in a different, more questioning and wary way than she originally had, which was L’s goal.

L’s favourite subject to criticize was her cooking and baking skills. Not that there was anything particularly bad about them, they were just mediocre. (Like the rest of her.)

Once, she had prepared the three of them dinner with her very own hands, to celebrate her brother being hired in a job again. It wasn't a very good reason to celebrate in the first place, and on top of that L never touched anything that came even remotely close to a 'normal meal'. But he forced himself to try her beef, just so he could criticize it later.

“That tasted very good, Sayu-chan! Although it was a little too salty”.

“I’d say it had just the right dose of salt”. Near had rushed in to defend her.

L had ignored him. “Just remember that consuming too much salt is never healthy”.

“I…I’ll take that into account, L-san”. She had answered, her voice strained.

His second favourite target of criticism was her clothing. L may not have cared about the way he looked to others, or the latest trends in fashion, but he could tell when two colours didn’t complement each other.

“Are you sure about this outfit, Sayu-chan?” He had asked her as they were waiting together for Near. It was one of the date nights L hadn’t managed to prevent.

“…Um…yes, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it…” She had looked down at herself and her voice had been unsure. That day, she had been wearing blue pants and a bright forest-green t-shirt. “Don’t you like it?”

L turned his gaze back to his case files. "Well, if _you_ think it looks nice I’ll pass. It’s important for one to have confidence”.

He made such reproaches to her approximately once a day. If she was extremely touchy with Near the number of remarks would rise up to two, or even three, on rare occasions. At last, she became fed up with L and confronted him about it.

“L-san, I get the feeling that you don’t like me much lately. And…and if that’s true, I’d like to know why”.

Took her long enough.

L continued eating his cake, as unperturbed as a shallow lake during a sunny day. “…Ah, Sayu-chan, what would give you that idea?”

Up until then, she hadn’t said anything to Near about his behaviour towards her when she and L were alone. She might have thought it was ‘her own fight’.

And originally, L had intended for it to stay that way. He hadn’t wanted Near to think he was jealous. Because he was _not_. (What was there to be jealous of?)

But there didn’t seem to be any other way to dispose of her.

It was impossible to avoid Near learning that he was affected by the whole situation. But it was a price L was prepared to pay in order to send her away. When she was taken care of, he and Near could talk and settle this with a civil conversation.

Besides, even if he wasn't romantically interested in Near, her pesky presence would still have had a negative impact on L’s life. Maybe on a more professional and less personal level but still.

L would have to think of a bolder yet not-completely-direct strategy if he wanted her gone.

Asking Roger to fill in the gaps for him from during his years of absence was the first step.

“What do you want, L?” Roger might have prepared a cup of coffee for him, like L requested, and sat on the armchair across from him, but his stare was not by any means welcoming.

“Now, now, Roger, there’s no need for this discussion to start off aggressively”.

"No aggressiveness whatsoever. I've just known you long enough to be conscious of the fact that you never willingly speak to anyone, let alone to me, unless there is something you want. So, what is it that you want from me?"

In reality, L was glad about Roger’s straightforwardness. He didn’t need to waste any more of his time pretending. “I want you to tell me everything you know about Near’s behaviour after my death”.

The older man glared at him subtly. “He wasn’t devastated, if that’s what you wanted to hear. He began his research on the Kira Case immediately”.

Roger was bluffing about the first sentence. He had to be.

“…Ah…I see. But I was more interested in his interpersonal relations. Did he happen to have…a fling of any sort while I was dead? I remember Linda being very fond of him…”

A few seconds went by before Roger found his voice again. “…I can’t believe you have the audacity to ask me this… After everything you did to Near it still isn’t enough for you”.

It wasn’t an unexpected reaction. Roger was frequently the type to exaggerate. "If you are implying that I am a danger to Near, I might have to remind you that he is an adult, and thus, doesn't need your approval”.

The other made a sad chuckling sound. “You remember societal norms only when it benefits you, don’t you, L? Did Near have a fully functional brain capable of consenting to a relationship with a man twelve years his senior at ten years old?”

"Yes, in my opinion, he did". L sipped his coffee peacefully. Unsurprisingly, it wasn't sweet enough.

“Honestly…L…” Roger shook his head. “Sometimes you sicken me…You can clearly see that Near is trying to move on and that Sayu cares about him and you want to destroy that”.

“You are in the wrong about that, Roger. There is hardly anything for me to destroy”.

“For once in your life, listen to somebody else. Let Near live his life and _let him go_. You don’t need to damage him further than you already have”. He got up, turning his back on L. “Now please finish your coffee and return to your cases”.

Well, that was quick. And pointless.

Damage…

That word was repeated again and again in his head.

But it was absurd. L hadn’t damaged Near. Of course, there is also the psychological kind of damage besides the physical one…

No. He hadn’t fallen for that ridiculous argument all those years ago, when he himself and then Watari had brought it up. If he starts doubting his motives now he’ll lose to her. And that’s not possible.

The next few weeks weren’t particularly eventful, save for an incident that began from the bedroom on Near’s floor. L rarely watched them get ready for bed or lie down, mainly because during those moments she became even more insufferable. She coiled her arms around Near, securing him in her grip, as if she was afraid that he’d flee at the first chance he was given, like a cat she was desperate to pet. And the worst part was, Sayu slept on the right side of the bed.

Today, however, they were especially lovey-dovey during day hours, so L thought it would be for the best to keep an eye on them, just in case things escalated.

It turned out that L’s suspicion was not unfounded.

Sayu chose to go to bed wearing only half the pyjamas she should normally be wearing. (A short top with a puppy on it and a text L wasn't able to decipher from the camera's angle and shorts.) She lay down next to Near and gave him a peck on the cheek, which quickly became a full kiss on the lips.

Being forced to witness their kisses numerous times before, L had trained himself expertly to send the bile that instinctively rose up from his throat back to his stomach.

There was no reason for him to worry, until Sayu threw her right leg around Near, resting half her body on top of his. She continued kissing his face incessantly and the fingers of her left hand wrapped around Near’s feathery locks.

L bit hard on his thumb. Before sleeping they usually shared a kiss and each turned off the light from their nightstand. Was this getting out of hand? Should he do something to stop them?

But what could he do?

He was L, he should have expected this and already have had a plan laid out to prevent it…! Panic was an emotion he was becoming increasingly familiar with and he didn’t like it.

…He didn’t need to break them apart.

“…Sayu…Just a moment…” Came Near’s breathless, yet controlled voice from the screen. His hands were on her (unnecessarily) bare shoulders.

She got the message and got off him. "What happened? Are you okay"

“…Yes. I just need to check whether a message has been sent or not”. Near hurriedly got up from the bed. A satisfied smile tugged at the corners of L’s mouth at the delightful sight.

“Oh…Do you have to do it now? Can’t it wait until tomorrow?” She asked in a sad tone.

“I’m afraid not. The report is extremely urgent”. He left the room before Sayu could say another word.

L knew exactly where to find him.

Near ran away because he needed room and time to think. And in order to think, he needed his toys. Therefore, he was in one of the Playrooms.

L spotted his thin, white form crouched on the floor, making a circular construction out of square blocks. Near was so lost in thought he didn’t hear the padding of L’s bare feet on the tiles as he approached him. It wasn’t until L was standing right next to him that he became aware of his now colleague. “Why are you here?” When he looked up for a moment his eyes seemed tired and his face lost. As if he was in front of a crossroad, but didn’t have the faintest idea which path to follow.

“I needed to eat something sweet”. Coincidentally, the kitchen was conveniently placed on the same floor with the Playroom Near visited the most. "…Why are you not asleep?"

"There were some pending details I had to take care of. And after taking care of them I had some difficulties falling asleep”.

It would have been a convincing lie if L hadn’t watched the entirety of the scene from the Security Room. “I hope it wasn’t anything serious”.

“Nothing you need to worry about”.

“…Would that be the Coliseum?” L asked, referring to Near’s construction.

The next block was set on its place a little slower. “Yes”.

“May I help?”

Near shrugged, unbothered by that possibility. “If you don’t have anything better to do”.

L crouched down on the other side of the replica and started working. He rested his thumb on his lower lip, concentrating on recalling the architecture of the ancient landmark. It has been quite some time since he’s been to Rome, but the pictures his memory has stored should suffice.

This was extremely reminiscent of their first meeting. L had been asked – forced – to spend some time with his successors. He was urged to begin with the first student in line. L had dragged himself over to the Playroom he was told Near would be. He would be lying if he said the pale seven-year-old hadn’t captured his attention the moment he laid eyes on him. Part of it came from the fact that L found him building what appeared to be an exact replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa out of dice. Part of it stemmed from Near’s unique appearance. It was snowing when L had visited that time. He thought that Near should never follow the other children in the snow-filled yard and go about playing, for Roger and the staff would be forever doomed to search the colourless landscape trying to find him. 

L had then sat down not that far away from the child and started asking him questions concerning his classes and his studies without further ado. They already knew who each other was. Pointless introductions were unneeded. Later on, L had even asked him some critical thinking-based questions, to all of which Near had answered correctly.

The first impression had definitely been in Near's favour, which was quite the respectable accomplishment, considering L hadn’t even wanted this meeting to be held in the first place.

When L decided all the necessary questions had been asked, he had just sat there for a few moments, observing Near more closely. His tiny white hand had been steady and precise. The probability of him making a mistake and toppling his construction had been low.

“The Leaning Tower of Pisa”. L had stated.

Near had nodded.

“May I help?” L had been curious about his reaction to cooperating with someone.

The boy had shrugged and didn't object when L had placed his first die. They hadn't spoken throughout their collaboration, not even to communicate where the next step should be taken. They were in sink.

They didn't talk this time either. 

They were working together on a case when Sayu (rudely) interrupted them, wanting to get Near to spend some time with her. She said they needed a break from work. Near protested at first, but gave in when Sayu told him she had prepared tea.

L didn’t speak, until Near made to follow her upstairs. “That’s a very nice idea, Sayu-chan”. He got up. “I’ve been thinking that both Near and I needed a small break to recollect our energy”.

She looked at him in a puzzled way. "…Ah…L-san...you're coming too…?"

He put on a mournful mask. “…Well…if you don’t want me, I suppose I could just sit here, stare at the screens…alone…If there’s something I hate is being a nuisance for others…”

“No, I-I didn’t mean it like that! Of course you’re welcome to come with us, if you want to”.

That was too easy.

Her tea didn't taste awful, but that didn't mean it was potable either. L stuck with eating the chocolate cookies that were served on the coffee table. They were bought from a bakery, so they were safe to eat.

“I was talking to your mother the other day, Sayu-chan”. L began, making it appear like small talk.

“Yes?”

“She was telling me how much she’d love for her eyes to see grandchildren, now, that she is still able to help in taking care of them”. That never happened, but it was what L assumed she wanted. It was what 90% of mothers wanted from their children. “So, can Sachiko and I expect such a…gift from Near and you anytime soon?”

The father of the still unborn hypothetical children was taking a sip from his tea as L posed his question, and choked on it.

“Nate, are you alright?” She asked, touching his shoulders.

“Yes, _Near_ ”. L corrected. “Don’t scare your fiancée like that”. He took the next bite from his cookie. 

The young adult coughed a few times and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “It’s a little early for that, don’t you think?”

“Nate is right L-san. We haven’t even…talked about children yet”.

That girl is incorrigible, isn’t she?

“…Hmm…Well, that’s a shame…” He said in a sad tone, while still munching on his fifth cookie.

They haven’t had sexual contact before. That is fully certain now.

A week later Near had to leave Japan and his beloved fiancée for a few days. It was time for the annual meeting of the detective L with the children at Wammy’s House. Near had tried to avoid it, but Roger insisted.

L wanted to travel back to England with him at first. He knew for a fact that Near was scared of airplanes, and he might have appreciated someone holding his hand during the flight… Moreover, Wammy’s was the place when they had first met. So many rooms of that orphanage were filled with memories…

But he revoked his decision in the end. The main priority here wasn’t ‘winning Near back’. That would come later on, on its own. What was of greater importance was the parasite called ‘Sayu’.

So he stayed in Japan, and stood by her side at the airport as they waved to Near, before he got in the plane with Roger.

“I’m gonna miss him…” She half-whispered, probably to no one in particular.

“Me too, Sayu-chan. But he’ll be back in a few days. He’ll return before we realise he’s gone”.

She sighed. “You’re right…”

The goal now that Near isn't here was simple: make their coexistence unbearable.

“Sayu-chan, would you please do me a favour?” L noticed she was doing some sort of homework for university. He didn’t care. “I wouldn’t normally ask this from you, but Lidner is ill today, and I sent both Rester and Stephen to take photos of a crime scene for me”.

“Of course I’ll help you if I can, L-san”. She put her pen down.

"Splendid. Thank you. I'd like you to bring me three flavours of ice cream: chocolate, strawberry and cookie dough, a chocolate-pumpkin cake and revani. It would be preferable if you saved the ice cream for last though, so that it doesn’t melt. Here, have my credit card and please don’t forget anything. My deductive abilities just won’t be the same”. He turned around, leaving her dazed and speechless.

That should keep her busy.

_“Good luck finding a Greek dessert in Japan, dearest Sayu-chan…”_ That felt nice.

The four days of Near’s absence played out similarly. L did everything in his power to tire her out and to make her feel uncomfortable. That included: sending her out to buy sweets for him, hiding some of her smaller belongings to make her search for them and lose her time, and generally forcing her to run errands that the rest of the team ‘couldn’t complete’. Once, he even spilt coffee all over her homework, while she had gone to the bathroom, to make her rewrite it. (Later he would claim that the wind coming from the open window had knocked her plastic cup down, if asked.)

At night she fell straight on the bed, exhausted, and sleep overtook her immediately. The third and final night, after L had given her an especially rough treatment during the day, she didn't even bother putting on her pyjamas before crushing on the mattress and sleeping like a rock.

L felt satisfied. The lack of sleep and fatigue was shown on her face, as dark grey circles began making their way around her eyes.

And predictably enough, _someone_ had to get nosey about her situation.

“Why are you treating Sayu like that? What has she ever done to you?” It was the least bearable of the three, of course.

“I have no idea as to what you are referring to, Stephen”.

“I think we both know very well what I’m talking about. Near isn’t going to be happy if he learns what you’re making his fiancée go through”.

“It’s not a very good idea to meddle with what doesn’t concern you. It could cost you your position”.

“You can’t fire me!” He said in a protesting tone. “Only Near can”.

L left his armchair and got past the taller male slowly. “Would you like us to test that theory?” He stopped and waited for an answer, but there was only silence. “I didn’t think so”.

The day of Near's return L chose Lidner to come with him to pick Near and Roger up. (If Lidner had noticed the ‘mistreatment’ L had been giving Sayu, she didn’t say anything, as didn’t Rester.)

Fortunately, _she_ couldn’t tag along because she had a class to attend.

Their flight was on time. They were among the last to come out of the airplane, Near descending the small staircase with very unsteady steps. As he and Roger approached them, L could see the boy visibly shudder. He would have wanted to wrap an arm around him, but in this situation, it would seem extremely out of place.

After Lidner and Roger had the typical dialogue two people have after a trip via airplane, they all got in the car. Roger sat at the passenger’s seat, while L and Near sat at the back.

“How did the visit go?” L asked.

“Everything was under control”. Near answered in a bored tone.

“And the number one successor? How are they performing in their classes?”

“…I’ll send you the file with his grades and his personal information”.

So much for trying to start a conversation… L couldn’t give less of a damn about some child who happened to study too much…

Sayu seemed quite worn out when she came back, but that didn’t stop her from welcoming Near with a warm embrace. She asked him how his flight was, if everything went alright and every other banal question one could think of.

That night they sat and talked before going to bed. To be more precise, she sat on the bed, while Near was on the floor, setting up the railway for his toy trains.

“Nate, can I ask you a question?” L cringed slightly at the use of the name, despite it having been used multiple times before.

“You just did”.

She giggled lightly. “You’re always so literal! Anyways, can I?”

“Of course”.

“…Had L-san always been like this?”

Finally, she was beginning to break.

That got Near’s attention enough for him to lift his head. “…Like what?”

“…I’m not really sure how to describe it… But…he's healthy, isn't he? …Mentally, I mean?"

He looked perplexed. “Yes. As far as I’m aware at least, L doesn’t have any health problems. Mental or otherwise”.

She muttered something through her teeth L wasn’t able to hear. But he did make out the word ‘diabetes’.

“I’m sorry?”

“It’s nothing”. She said. “You’ve known L-san for a long time, haven’t you?”

“…Yes. Since I was seven years old”.

“And…how is he with meeting new people? Usually?”

Near thought for a few seconds. “…Why are we having this conversation about L right now? Did he…say anything to you?”

“He…Look, Nate I tried to like him and to get him to like me. I think I really did. I know he’s an important person to you. But…I just don’t think he likes me all that much”.

“What about you? How do you feel towards him?” Near’s face appeared distant.

“I don’t…well, I don’t want to misjudge him, he could be a very kind person on the inside, but he hasn’t given me the chance to see much of that side of him yet”.

“L is cold with most people. Don’t take it personally. Besides, it does not matter whether L approves of our relationship or not”.

She giggled again, but there was no humour or happiness in her voice. "I guess you're right. Why don't you come to bed now?"

“Just a moment”.

She must be getting exasperated from waiting. She crushed back on the pillows and then, as if she knew L was watching them, cast an irritated glance at the direction of a camera.

An unwillingly familiar cackle echoed in the Security Room. “You’re on the attack now, aren’t you?”

L turned his chair sideways to look at the lanky figure of Ryuk. "Well, Shinigami-san, they do say that attack is the best defence, don't they?"

The next day L decided it was finally time to learn what was going on during those ‘date nights’ of them. He called on Roger for the task of keeping an eye on them. (He didn’t like the word ‘spying’.)

“You want me to do what?!” The older man practically yelled.

“It’s really not all that tragic, Roger”.

“Of course it is! You want me to spy on Near and Sayu!”

“Spying is not the word I would have preferred to use. I think of it more like…watching over them”. L explained. “I just want to make sure they don’t waste their time in a bar, or a club. You know Near has a low tolerance for alcohol”.

"First of all, Sayu is not the type of person to visit such places. But even if they enjoyed going to bars, so what? Near's life belongs to him, not to you". Roger crossed his hands defensively. It was obvious he was not going to cooperate.

“Time is not on my side, Roger. Their nightly escape is scheduled in about an hour. So I’ll only tell you this: even without being in a relationship with Near, I still maintain some influence over him. And if I convince him so, you’ll be back at Wammy’s House within the blink of an eye. At the same office, at the same position. With all of the children running around, shouting, fighting, begging for their parents, cryi…-”

The ex-headmaster of the orphanage threw his hands in the air in defeat. “Alright, alright! I’ll be your spy! Just know that you’re the most selfish person I’ve ever met”.

L rolled his eyes, without even trying to hide his disdain for the other’s words. “Just put on a black suit and wait for my signal”.

“What are they doing, Roger?” L asked through the earpiece he had given to his helper for the day.

“For the last time, they’re walking. It’s the third time you ask me that”. The headpiece didn’t fail to transfer the grumpiness in Roger’s voice.

“But are they holding hands?”

“Let me see…yes, they are”.

What was Near thinking? L rubbed his forehead in disappointment.

A few seconds later…

“What about now?”

A sigh. “They’re still walking”.

“And now?”

“L, I swear…-“

And about two minutes after that…

“Can you tell where they’re heading?”

“I think I heard Sayu say something about going to their usual spot, but nothing beyond that”.

…Why did she insist on making L’s life harder?

“Sayu let go of Near’s hand”. Well, that’s a relief… “She put her arm around his elbow”. It was too good to be true and L was too quick to think positive.

At least Roger had understood that he needed to know all of the details.

“Keep on following them. They have to stop at some point”.

“They could walk a marathon for all we know! I have arthritis, L!”

The detective turned his bored gaze to the ceiling. “And if you don’t follow them you’ll return to the orphanage and lose your hearing ability from the children screaming”.

“I hate those blackmailing methods of yours…” Roger grunted.

“You hate them simply because they’re always effective”.

“They’re going at a café”.

“How very unoriginal…” L commented. “I want you to get close enough to hear what they are saying”.

“I can’t. They’ll see me”.

“Is there anything you can hide behind?”

“…Not really”.

“What are your surroundings, Roger?”

“Well, there’s a pot with a tall plant…-”

“Go behind the pot”.

“But it’s not tall enough for me to hide”.

“Then hunch”. L ordered. “Or bend down”.

He heard Roger sigh for the umpteenth time before bending his knees to hide behind the plant. L also heard him trying to bite back a sound of pain and he could imagine every old bone cracking, as they struggled to obey the brain.

“Tell me what they’re saying”.

“They’re saying something about a vacation”.

"…A vacation?" Was she planning on tearing Near away from him? "Where?"

“…I… I think…-” For a few moments all L could hear was shuffling and Roger’s incoherent stuttering. Something was off… “A-ah, Near!”

L inwardly cursed and shook his head in contempt. Roger was useless... He couldn't even trail someone properly. Why had Watari chosen him in the first place?

“Give me the earpiece, Roger”. Demanded Near’s irritated voice.

“…E-earpiece? What earpiece, Near?”

“Please give it to me. Now”. Roger apparently gave in and the device was transferred to Near’s hands. “L. Don’t leave the Headquarters. We have some talking to do". His tone was icy. He was more than irritated.

On the bright side, at least they would speak to each other seriously for the first time since he’s been resurrected.

Near’s tread was decisive as he stepped into the Investigation Room. An angered aura surrounded him. He was holding a brown stuffed bear with a red ribbon tied around its neck. It looked cheap.

L jumped off from the chair and onto his feet to greet him. “Such a nice teddy-bear you have”. He observed calmly. “Did Sayu buy it for you?”

His once partner ignored him. “That does not concern you. Why did you send Roger to follow us?”

“Now that…” L stuffed his hands inside his pockets. “…does not concern you”.

“You had no right to spy on us and to force Roger into this. I’m certain you know this is called an invasion of privacy”.

“There hardly was any privacy the moment you chose to venture outside”. He slouched a little more, to decrease the difference between him and Near. If he bent over just a bit more, he’d be able to kiss him. Unlike the time Near had been a child, when L needed to fully crouch, or to pick Near up if they wanted to kiss.

“From what I’ve seen today…” One hand left the miserable teddy-bear for the fingers to twirl white hair. He was thinking. “…It frankly wouldn’t surprise me if you monitored us through the cameras. As a matter of fact, I am 90% sure that you have watched us before”.

L countered the unexpected accusation with a dry chuckle. “You and your fiancée flatter yourselves too much, Near. I have far more important tasks to occupy myself with than… 'spy on you', as you put it".

“Is that so? Then what about Roger? Why did you make him follow us?”

“That is an entirely different matter”.

“Please do explain”.

“I have well-grounded evidence that Sayu distracts you and prevents you from working efficiently”.

"That is incorrect. But let's suppose she does distract me for a moment, why is it a problem for you?” Near demanded to know.

“I never cared what became of my title after my death. You could have turned L into a world-wide terrorist for all I care. But now that I’m alive I expect L to at least have a decent reputation”.

"I think I've accomplished more than to just keep a decent reputation during those six years of you being dead. Both without your assistance, and while maintaining a relationship with Sayu”.

“If you're that skilful, is my being here redundant then?"

"Your presence isn't necessary either". Near almost but not quite snapped.

These words cut surprisingly deep. L never believed Near could answer to such a question without as much as a second thought. 

“That’s good to know. Then I’ll be taking my leave”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally I was thinking of making Rester the one to spy on Near and Sayu, because I haven't really given him much of a role, but he would be a little too obedient. Besides, I find Roger's grumpiness funny so...
> 
> I also realised that Near would have to defy gravity to make the Tower of Pisa out of dice, but I'm pretty sure he'd find a way to stabilise it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really like this chapter, it took so much time to write because I had no inspiration and it's short but... it's mostly filler so...

L Lawliet in no way considered himself a masochist. Quite the opposite, actually. But in the current situation, one could rightfully pose him the question of why he returned to Wammy’s House, if he displayed no masochistic tendencies.

It is common for people to want to forget after a strong experience with a negative impact on their lives. L was not in the different here – he wanted to forget too. He mostly wanted it to be possible to simply press a button and be able to remove Sayu Yagami from his memories, but it would be preferable if he had the ability to forget about Near as well.

It was just that there was no other choice. All of the estates he had previously owned now belonged to Near. L has surely gathered enough money to buy a house of his own during his time solving cases anew, after being resurrected, but he was in no way prepared to make a withdrawal of such a large amount of money from his bank account. Besides, buying a house has frustratingly lot of paperwork. (He wished Watari was here to complete it for him.)

And L needed to leave right away. He was positive he would puke if he saw them hug or kiss one more time.

So, Wammy’s House was the only immediate solution he could think of. It was only temporary. Until he found a house somewhere – the place wasn’t important – he just didn’t want to be a burden to Near and his dearest fiancée. Travelling again around in the world wasn’t in his near-future plans. He could busy himself with local cases in England for a while, but for the most part L felt anything but productive.

_“That would be for the best, I think”. Near had said, after L announced he would leave._

_“Good. And I’ll be taking Roger with me, too. I’ll be in need of a new Watari”._

_“Impossible. I need Roger here”._

_“In all honesty, I’ve never found Stephen all that important. Make him assume Roger’s duties and prove himself useful – for a change”. Some of the bile L had been keeping down now resurfaced._

_In the meantime, Roger had come into the room, yelling and protesting about how ‘he had no say in this’, but none of the detectives paid him the slightest mind._

_“The tasks the members of my team fulfill do not concern you”._

_“No matter”. L said, as dismissively as possible. “I’ll still be taking Roger with me”. He made a quick turn, leaving Near behind, and giving him no time to add anything else. “Come on, Roger, we’re leaving”._

_“What?” Roger exclaimed. “L, you can’t – I can’t…-”_

_“And where are you two going, pray-tell?” Near asked, in a steady voice._

_“Near, I thought I’d told you not to ask an unnecessary question of you don’t truly care about the answer”._

_His pale-haired successor made (predictably) no move to stop them from leaving. Even without allowing himself to look back, L knew he just stared at them, while twirling his hair apathetically._

_Roger never stopped complaining – not even after they reached the airport. L practically had to drag Watari’s old companion there, but not once did he regret his choice of taking Roger with him and not somebody else from Near’s team._

_Lidner would have been the next best choice, but she would ask a lot of questions, and was far more reluctant to bend to L’s whims._

_Rester was too loyal to leave his boss. (Besides, it was very likely that Near downright refused to give him to L. He was efficient enough, L had to admit.)_

_Gevanni was simply out of the question. There was no need for more sources of irritation in his life._

_No, Roger was the best choice. He didn’t care enough about L in order for whatever conversation they might have to venture to a more personal territory. And he may complain a lot, but he is also quite easy to manipulate._

_Ryuk came flying to him just before they got on the plane._

_“So, you weren’t joking, huh? You’re leaving. For real”._

_“Yes, Ryuk-san. I’m leaving”._

_L was hardly in the mood to talk to the skeletal creature, but he doubted Ryuk would just leave._

_“I know you’re smart and all, but unless I’m missing something, I don’t think you’re supposed to get away. If you do it’s like you want her to win”._

_That immature bet… L had forgotten about it for the last few days. He took a deep breath. “…Do you care about humans, Ryuk-san?”_

_“…Uh…no, I guess not. But you guys are fun to watch”._

_“Then, why should I care about whether or not you get your apples?”_

_Ryuk wasn’t stupid. He got the message and immediately frowned. “Oh, you’re no fun… I knew I should have chosen Light’s sister…” His bat-like wings emerged from his back. “I doubt you even care about Nate now that he’s gotten older anyway…”_

_He didn’t bother correcting the God of Death as his feet left the ground._

_“Have fun, loser”. Ryuk yelled at him as he was passing right through the ceiling._

Losing…L hadn’t thought of it that way. Until now.

Could Ryuk be right? Was this really a form of resignation?

No, he shook his head dismissively. This wasn’t like quitting. He was merely showing a form of superiority. If Near wished to waste his life with the wrong person, then let him be. L couldn’t be around forever to babysit him anyway.

Nothing seemed to have changed about Wammy’s House in the years of his absence. Everything was exactly like the last time he had been here.

The towering iron gates still enclosed the imposing, gothic building that was known as Wammy’s House. An orphanage only for the most gifted of children.

The gate didn’t open automatically, as usual, because they weren’t expecting their arrival. Roger had to get out of the car to inform the current manager of the orphanage from the intercom that was placed on the wall, and he did so with an unmistakable grunt.

There were plenty of children playing happily in the enormous yard. None came to greet or embrace him, as they did each time they spotted Watari’s car approaching. All of the embraces he received used to irritate him horribly, but now he found himself disliking the way they all ignored him. Although that was perfectly reasonable – these children had no idea who he was.

Some of them spared him a glance as he and Roger passed by to get inside the building, and they did exchange a few whispers between them, but nothing more.

No maids were waiting for them at the entrance. Roger said he’d first have a word with the current principal and that L could come too, if he wanted. A proposition L, of course, declined. He didn’t need to meet the new manager until tomorrow. For the time being, all he wanted to do was go upstairs and crush into his room.

However, as he was on his way he realised, perhaps a tad belatedly, that his quarters also belonged to Near now. Therefore he was allowed no privacy until Roger told one of the maids to give them each a guest room.

But he was already up to the second floor. The only solution was to explore around a little – see if anything has changed drastically.

Two little girls holding hands ran by him, a big, bright smile on their faces, as if they had never been happier. They disappeared at the end of the gloomy hallway. Normally, from what L remembered, the children should be in their classes right now. And yet there were boys and girls running around and playing freely. The standards for the number one successor apparently weren’t as high as they used to be, nor were the curriculums as strict.

Not that L could have an opinion about it anyway. Wammy’s House was Near’s responsibility now.

The sun was starting to set and its rays illuminated the otherwise dark hallways through the open curtains in an almost beautiful way. The light at the end of the corridor, where the two girls had disappeared was particularly bright. It reminded L of the days when a small, pale-haired child would be waiting for him at the corner of the hallway.

Such an association was to be expected. L knew this would happen if he returned at Wammy’s. But it wasn’t something he had much control over. So he concluded it was best to let himself remember, rather than bottle it all up. The sooner he was done remembering the sooner he could focus on other aspects of his life.

L wandered through the spacious premises of the orphanage slowly, with his shoulders feeling heavy. None of its residents gave him any sort of attention besides the occasional curious glance. It was as though as he were a ghost. He didn’t feel that far from being a ghost either.

He didn’t have the desire to do anything else besides walk aimlessly for now.

Every other room was a parade of memories that marched in front of him and past him. They all seemed so distant, as if they only existed in another reality and not in the present of a few years ago.

Then again, maybe that was true. This world was foreign to him when compared to the world he knew five years ago.

The library was the place when they had first kissed.

They had been sitting on the carpeted floor, right where three girls were playing a board game right now.

_Near was sitting on the floor, doing a puzzle of one thousand pieces and L was reading a book, taking a break from his case because Watari had asked it of him. They were alone. Everyone else was at the Dining Hall, but Near wasn’t hungry and L rarely ever joined the others at dinner._

_The light tapping of the evening rain outside the window, combined with the rhythmic clicking sound of the puzzle pieces being placed in their correct positions was calming. At some point, the clicking stopped._

_L lowered his book, wondering what had caused Near to stop. “Do you think a piece is missing?” It was the first time one of them spoke since they had sat together in the room._

_“No. I’m just not focused enough to see the next step”. His small hand was continuously twirling a thin strand of fluffy hair. “Would you like to help me?”_

_He had never witnessed Near working on a puzzle with another person. He didn’t want them to help him. But every once in a while, Near would offer him the choice of joining him in the completion of a puzzle._

_And he remembered Watari saying that children only shared their toys with people they liked. L felt… privileged – in an odd way – to be the only one that Near accepted as an occasional playmate._

_“I would”. He put the book down on the armchair he was previously perched on and crouched close to the boy._

_They worked in peaceful silence for a while before Near hesitantly handed him a tiny, white piece. “Where do you think this goes?”_

_The detective gripped the piece delicately with two fingers, turning his gaze to the puzzle to search for a possible fit. Little did he know that in the meantime Near had found the courage to sit up on both his knees and press his lips to his._

_The piece fell from L’s fingers, hitting the partly completed puzzle with a roar of a sound when compared to the mostly unnoticeable noise it would have normally made._

_Despite it not being 100% unexpected, it took L one moment to close his eyes. He didn’t pull away, yet he didn’t encourage Near much._

_“I was hoping you wouldn’t need an explanation”. The boy said when they broke apart. “I am not thoroughly prepared to give one”._

_“…Actions can explain more than words, can’t they?”_

They would be both mocking themselves if they claimed to belong in the group of ‘normal’ individuals. Their beginning was not much of a beginning at all. Weren’t people supposed to first discuss their feelings with each other and then either form a romantic relationship or stay as they previously were?

But L was not the one trying to blend in with the rest of the population, was he? No, he was perfectly fine where he had been, and where he was now.

They used to spend a lot of time in the Playroom. It was a quite comfortable place: Near was free to play with the countless of toys lying around and L could bring along his laptop to work. They rarely talked much during those times. They didn’t need to speak to acknowledge each other’s presence in the room: the sense of togetherness they both felt was far deeper than a brief crosstalk could have been.

And when L was not on as tight a schedule as he usually was, he’d play with Near too. But in terms of more romantic moments, there weren’t many. L didn’t want to have to erase the footage from the security cameras every now and then. Therefore, the more intimate displays of affection were reserved for either their bedrooms, or L’s office.

L travelled across the somber, monotonous hallways thoughtlessly, not heeding the direction he was heading to. Until he realised the wing of the orphanage he had brought himself to, at least.

The children’s bedrooms.

His gaze landed instinctively at the fourth door on the left. Despite having crossed the threshold of that room multiple times in the past, he felt as though he shouldn’t be considering repeating that one more time. The room belonged to another child now and would have probably been stylized in a completely different way than the time when Near inhabited it.

But the chance that the room’s current resident was inside was almost zero. They would either be at class, or outside, giving their attention to some activity other than studying.

His mind could not come up with a counter argument as to why he shouldn’t look inside. Just one peek wouldn’t hurt, would it?

No one else was in sight, yet he still walked like no one else should hear his footsteps.

The door was left unlocked.

Of course, the room looked nothing like it did five years ago. The sterile white of the walls was now replaced by a warm, orange-peach colour. The furniture wasn’t changed, however it was all repainted from white to a natural shade of brown. The various toys that were always scattered on the floor had been decreased to a pair of tattered dolls. Even without toys though, the room was still unkempt. Heavy books lay on the grey carpet – one of the few things in terms of decoration that remained unchanged – some left opened carelessly at a random page, some stacked atop of each other, forming unsteady towers – one almost reaching up to L’s knee.

A girl’s room.

And more specifically, a girl that liked to read.

It was strange. Nothing had remained the same, but just about everything in this room reminded him of moments that he wasn’t entirely ready to let go of yet. The times he had come here in search of Near when he couldn’t be seen anywhere else inside the building, the times he had sat down on the carpet next to Near to play with him, or the times when he had tucked the boy under the covers, sometimes joining him.

It all seemed too far away now… His thoughts were getting repetitive. Now would probably be a good time to leave – lest he behaves even more like a foolish, emotional teenage girl after a breakup.

“…Uum… excuse me, mister, but who are you?”

He shouldn’t have entered. Nothing had come out of it.

L turned around calmly, facing the current resident of what used to be Near’s room.

A little girl, who couldn’t be more than nine years old, stood on the doorstep. She had long, black hair that reached down her waist, uncombed and cut in such an unfortunate way that the dark bangs obscured her forehead. Her eyes – a deep shade of sea-blue – held all the telltale childish curiosity that Near’s never had. She wore a plain pink hoodie and black leggings.

“I am L”. He tells the girl in an even tone.

She mulls over that statement for a moment, then defiantly places her hands on her hips. “No you’re not”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if it ends too abruptly, but I've been wanting to just end the chapter there for months and I wanted it to have exactly these lines of dialogue...! Next chapter we'll get to know the new character. It's been years since I last made an OC.

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of the few stories that I post while I make the plot up as I go, so let's see where this is going to end up.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
